Chap. IX.] ALKALOID TOISONS. 1G7 



as ever. Half-minims were placed on the discs of six leaves, and no 

 inflection ensued; but after three days the glands on the discs 

 appeared rather dry, yet to my surprise were not blackened. On 

 another occasion drops were placed on the discs of six leaves, and 

 a considerable amount of inflection was soon caused; but as I had 

 not filtered the solution, floating particles may have acted on the 

 glands. After 24 hrs. bits of meat were placed on the discs of three 

 of these leaves, and next day they became strongly inflected. As 

 I at first thought that the poison might not have been dissolved in 

 pure water, one grain was added to 437 grains of a mixture of one 

 part of alcohol to seven of water, and half-minims were placed on 

 the discs of six leaves. These were not at all affected, and when 

 after a day bits of meat were given them, they were slightly in- 

 flected in 5 hrs., and closely after 24 hrs. It follows from these 

 several facta that a solution of curare induces a very moderate 

 degree of inflection, and this may perhaps be due to the presence 

 of a minute quantity of albumen. It certainly is not poisonous. 

 The protoplasm in one of the leaves, which had been immersed for 

 24 hrs., and which had become slightly inflected, had undergone a 

 very slight amount of aggregation not more than often ensues 

 from an immersion of this length of time in water. 



Acetate of Morphia. I tried a great numbe* of experiments 

 with this substance, but with no certain result. A considerable 

 number of leaves were immersed from between 2 hrs. and 6 hrs. in 

 a solution of one part to 218 of water, and did not become inflected. 

 Nor were they poisoned; for when they were washed and placed 

 in weak solutions of phosphate and carbonate of ammonia, they 

 soon became strongly inflected, with the protoplasm in the cells 

 w^ell aggregated. If, however, whilst the leaves were immersed in 

 the morphia, phosphate of ammonia was added, inflection did not 

 rapidly ensue. Minute drops of the solution were applied in the 

 usual manner to the secretion round between thirty and forty 

 glands; and when, after an interval of G m., bits of meat, a little 

 saliva, or particles of glass, were placed on them, the movement 

 of the tentacles was grea'tly retarded. But on other occasions no 

 such retardation occurred. Drops of water similarly applied never 

 have any retarding power. Minute drops of a solution of sugar 

 of the same strength (one part to 218 of water) sometimes 

 retarded the subsequent action of meat and of particles of glass, 

 and sometimes did not do so. At one time I felt convinced that 

 morphia acted as a narcotic on Drosera, but after having found in 

 what a singular manner immersion in certain non-poisonous salts 

 and acids prevents the subsequent action of phosphate of ammonia, 

 whereas other solutions have no such power, my first conviction 

 seems very doubtful. 



Extract of Jluoseyamvu. Several leaves were place<1, each in 

 thirty minims of an infusion of 3 grs. of the extract sold by drug- 

 gists to 1 oz. of water. One of them, after being immerseil for 5 

 hrs. 15 m., was not inflected, and was then put into a solution (1 gr. 

 to 1 oz.) of carbonate of ammonia; after 2 hrs. 40 m. it was found 

 considei^bly inflected, and the glands much blackened. Four of 



