the Colchicum autumnale ii Gout. 431 
taken by the mouth, produced the same effects, and left the 
same appearances after death, as when that quantity was injected 
into the vein, only the animal lived nine instead of six hours. 
One hundred and sixty drops of the vinous infusion of Colchi- 
cum were given to a puppy of the same litter; they produced 
vomiting, purging, and a great flow of urine ; but the animal very 
soon recovered. 
_ Two hundred drops of the same infusion, after an interval of 
several days, were given to the same dog, and the effects were 
the same; the dog had become much improved in his looks and 
condition, 
Three hundred drops, after an interval of several days, were 
given to the same dog: effects, corresponding with those of one 
hundred and sixty drops of the Eau Medicinale, were produced. 
The dog died in nine hours, and the appearances of inflammation 
after death were of the same kind, but not nearly so extensive. 
From these experiments the Eaw Medicinale with the deposit, 
produces double the irritation on the coats of the stemach and 
intestines, that is brought on by the vinous infusion of Colchicum: 
this probably arises from the local inflammation brought on by 
the deposit, upon the internal membrane of these viscera. 
To determine as nearly as possible the effects of the deposit, 
when applied in a solid form to the coats of the stomach and 
intestines, the following experiment was made. 
Exp. 5. Six grains of the deposit of the vinous infusion of 
Colchicum were given to a dog in bread and milk; in three 
hours it produced vomiting and purging, which lasted twenty- 
four hours ; during the latter part of that time, there was blood 
in the stools, as well as in what was brought up from the sto- 
mach. 
I wished to repeat this experiment with the deposit from the 
Eau Medicinale, but found in bottles that had been kept seven 
years, the wine had become vapid, and, in this decomposed state, 
the acrid part of the deposit had been taken up again; so that 
in twelve bottles, containing different quantities, only five grains 
could be procured, which was quite inert. 
Being at a loss to know whether the extractive matter depo- 
sited from the infusion is in reality more acrid to the stomach 
than that suspended in it, or the circumstance of its being ap- 
plied in a solid form renders it so, I requested Professor Brande 
to acquaint me, if it could be the effect of any chemical decom- 
position having taken place. 
He favoured me with the following explanation, which is highly 
satisfactory. ‘* There are certain vegetable bodies which, when 
infused in water or diluted spirit, furnish a solution which lets 
fal] a sediment, in which their activity, as purgative sperriesy 
chiefly 
