264 TRANSACTIONS A^^D PKOCEEDINCxS OF THE [Sess. LXiv. 



Dr. Cleghorn mentioned that the shepherds of the Himalayas 

 recognise the poisonous properties of Pio'is o calif olia, D. Don, 

 especially when the leaves are in bud. 



Mr. Eutherford Hill said : " That on seeing this paper 

 of Mr. Lindsay's upon the billet " (referred to above), " he 

 was reminded of some recent researches as to the poisonous 

 constituent of Narcotic Ericaccie, and had looked up some 

 of the references. The first to separate the poisonous 

 principle was Professor Eijkman, who, in 1883, obtained a 

 glucoside from Pieris JaiJonica {A. Jcqwnua), to which he 

 gave the name of aschotoxm. This substance he found to 

 be exceedingly powerful, the fatal dose for a rabbit being, 

 •003 gramme, or about one-twentieth of a grain, or an 

 infusion of 2 grammes of the leaves (' Chem. Centralbl,,' 

 1883, p. 72). He also obtained a second glucoside, 

 aschotin, which possessed a bitter taste, but was non- 

 poisonous. The investigation was repeated by Professor 

 P. (A I'lugge in the following year. He obtained two 

 substances from F. Japonica which proved to be identical 

 with those separated by Eijkman. Plugge succeeded in 

 getting the poisonous glucoside in fine silky needles, having 

 the formula Cg^H^iOio. He gave it the name of andromedo- 

 toxin, by which it is now universally known. It possesses 

 in a very high degree the physiological properties of the 

 poisonous Ericace;T?. Within the last few years Professor 

 Plugge and Herr Zaayer have examined a large number of 

 ericaceous plants, and have found andromedotoxin in the 

 following : — 



"Lejives and AVood of Fieris Japonica, Bentli. et Hook. f. 



Do. Young Twigs of Am)i:().met)A polikolfa, Linn. 



Do. do. A. polifolia angustifolia. 



Do. do. Cas.sandia calyciilata, Don. 



Do. Flowers of Leucotlioe spinulosa, Don. 



Do. do. Azalea Indica, Linn. 



Do. do. Rhododendron maximum, Linn. 



Do. do. K. ponticnm, Benth. et Hook. f. 



Do. do. \\. chrysantiium, Fall. 



Do. do. K. hybridum. 



Berries of Kalmia latifolia, Linn. 

 Leaves and Twigs of K. angustifolia. Linn. 

 Entire Herb of Monotropa unifiora, Unn. 



" Andromedotoxhi was found in largest quantity in the 

 h.'aves of Kahida o/nrjustifolia, which is known as 'Lamb-kill' 

 in America. The same body probably exists in Pieris Mariana 



