PRUSSIC ACID IN THE LEGUMINOS^ 235 



poisonous properties of certain leguminous plants, such as 

 Phaseolus lunatus, has been emphasized. 



M. P. Guerin, Professor at the Ecole superieure de Phar- 

 macie de Paris, has published in the Revue scienlifique (1907) 

 a very complete treatise on plants containing prussic acid, 

 from which we quote several highly interesting passages. 



If, after having taken every possible precaution, and 

 supposing the ferment to be completely destroyed by cook- 

 ing, we were to eat peas, is there a possibility of a ferment 

 occurring in the alimentary canal which would act on the 

 undecomposed glucoside in the same wav as emulsin and 

 occasion a fresh formation of prussic acid ? 



According to experiments made by M. Guignard, the 

 glucoside phaseolunatin is split up, both in the blood and in 

 the alimentary canal, after the glucoside has passed into the 

 intestine, for neither the gastric nor pancreatic juices occasion 

 the formation of prussic acid. On submitting the glucoside 

 of the bean to the action of a mixture of dried pancreatic and 

 duodenal secretions, M. Guignard has obtained a much more 

 definite result than by working with these two substances 

 separately. 



To sum up, boiled Java beans (and the water in which 

 they have been boiled as well), even when the emulsin they 

 contain has been destroyed by heat, still retain their poisonous 

 properties; the ferment necessary for the formation of prussic 

 acid being found in the organism. 



However, this state of affairs is riot universal, and the 

 results may vary according to the individual ; in view, 

 though, of the doubt which subsists, it is wiser to avoid these 

 beans. 



Among all the Leguminos^e which contain prussic acid 

 most attention should be directed towards the Java bean, or 

 d'Achery pea (Phaseolus lunatus), on account of the numer- 

 ous accidents for which it is responsible. 



It is remarkable that Indians are able to eat this pea 

 without harm, provided it has been cooked in boiling water. 



