122 PROCEEDINGS OP SECTION B. 



from a closely allied plant of Tasmania — Atherosperma moschata — an: 

 ei^sential oil called " sassafras oil " has been olotained, and Dr. F. 

 Mueller has recently strongly recommended the bark of that tree as 

 '' deserving extensive adoption in medicine." 



R. Stockman (Pharm. Journal, (3), xxiii., p. 512), however, in 

 1892, concluded that neither the volatile oil nor any of the con- 

 stituents of the bark of Atherosperma moschata is particularly active 

 or poisonous, and, further, that the volatile oil has a close i-esemblance 

 in physiological action to other volatile oils. 



Finally, Goldie, in a paper on " Maori Medical Lore " (Trans. N.Z. 

 Inst., 1904, p. 118), states that the inner layer of the bark of the 

 pukatea is boiled in water and the decoction thus prepared is applied 

 externally to tuberculous and chronic ulcers and various cutaneous 

 diseases by the Maoris. A strong decoction held in the inoutli relieves, 

 odontalgia, and is also taken intenially, and applied locally, in 

 syphilis. Its nearest ally in Noav Zealand, Hedycarya dentata, is used 

 in the medicated bath. 



Alkaloids occur throughout the vegetable kingdom in almost all 

 the different plant families. Some families are noted for the number 

 of alkaloids which they contain, among which are the Rubiaceae' 

 (yielding caffeine and quinine), the Apocyuaceoe (alkaloids of alstonia 

 and nerium), the Solanaceae (solanine and atropine), the Papaveraceae 

 (the opium alkaloids), and the Leguininosae (cytisine, sparteine, and 

 the lupine alkaloids). 



In other families equally important, such as Labiatae, Rosacene,, 

 and Orchidacese, no alkaloids have as yet been found (Pictet). 



Why some plants are able to produce alkaloids in abundance* 

 while whole families of others produce none is one of those unsolved 

 mysteries of plant chemistry which it may be the good fortune of 

 future research workers to solve. At present one can merely recount 

 facts and suggest hypotheses. 



If the function of alkaloids and poisons of plants were known,, 

 some light might be thrown on their eccentric occurrence in nature. 

 Pfeffer states that the poisonous substances which plants produce,, 

 including alkaloids, ptomaines, toxalbumins, certain glucosides, hydro- 

 cyanic acid, &c., have, for the most part, a biological importance, 

 ffiTiiing a protection against herbiverous animals and against the 

 penetration of parasites. They may also enable certain plants, 

 especially bacteria, either to compete successfully with other 

 organisms, or by killing the latter, to provide for their own growth. 

 Peirce has shown that tlie penetration of cuscuta (dodder, the parasite- 

 of clover) into a host plant is hindered by the presence of poison in 

 the latter, and the same is the case with fungi. On the other hand,. 

 M. Treub (Ann. Jard. Bot. Buitenzorg, 1907, p. 107) denies that 

 ]irassic acid has in general a protective effect — while some enemies, 

 may be warded off by its presence others seem to be attracted by it, 

 and the toxicity of the hydrocyanic acid plays no role in the economy 

 of the plant. 



* The P.R. stand ird for cinchona bark is 5-6 per cent, total alkaloids, and by 

 artificial wflpc'ion 'he plaint ui->v he nnde to produce a bark containing 10 per cent, of 

 quinine. (Howar<l, J.S.C.I., 1906. p. 99.) 



