SEMEN IGNATII 431 



according to their discoverers, are combined with Strychnic or Igasuric 

 Acid ; Ludwig (1873), who prepared this body from the latter drug, 

 describes it as a yellowish-brown amorphous mass, having a strongly 

 acid reaction and a sour astringent taste, and striking a dark green 

 with ferric salts. We have ascertained the correctness of Ludwig's 

 observations. 



Nux vomica dried at 100'' C. yielded us when burnt with soda-lime 

 1822 per cent, of nitrogen, indicating about 113 per cent, of protein 

 substances. By boiling ether, we removed from the seeds 414 per cent, 

 of fat ; Meyer ^ found it to yield butyric, capronic, caprylic, caprinic and 

 other acids of the series of the common fatty acids, and also one acid 

 richer in carbon than stearic acid. Nux vomica also contains mucilage 

 and sugar. The latter, which according to Rebling (1855) exists to the 

 extent of G per cent., reduces cupric oxide without the aid of heat. 

 When macerated in water, the seeds easily undergo lactic fermentation, 

 not however attended with decomposition of the alkaloids. The 

 stability of strychnine is remarkable, even after ten years of contact 

 with putrescent animal substances. 



Commerce — Large quantities of nux vomica are brought into the 

 London market from British India.^ The export from Bombay in the 

 year 1871-72 was 3341 cwt., all shipped to the United Kingdom.^ 

 Madras in 1869-70 exported 4805 cwt. ; and Calcutta in 1865-66, 2801 

 cwt. The quantity imported into the United Kingdom in 1870* was 

 5534 cwt. 



Nux vomica is stated by Gamier (1. c. page 429, note) to be largely 

 exported from Cambodja to China. 



Uses — Tincture and extract of nux vomica, and the alkaloid strych- 

 nine, are frequently administered as tonic remedies in a variety of 

 disorders. 



SEMEN IGNATII. 



Faha Sancti Ignatii; St Ignatius^ Bean^; F. Feves de Samt-Ignace, 

 Noix Igasur; G, Ignatiushohnen.^ 



Botanical Origin — Strychnos Ignatii Bergius® (S. philippensis 

 Blanco, Ignatiana pJiilippvaica Loureiro), a large climbing shrub, grow- 

 ing in Bohol, Samar, and Qebu, islands of the Bisaya group of the Philip- 

 pines, and according to Loureiro in Cochin China, where it has been 

 introduced. The inflorescence and foliage are known to botanists only 



1 JahresbericJit der CJiemie, 1875. 856. Jitmedios FaciUs, Manila, 1857. p. 610). 



^ We have seen 1136 packages offered in The name St. Ignatius' Bean applied to 



a single drug-sale (30 March 1871). them in Europe, is employed in South 



* Statement of the Trade and Navigation America to designate the seeds of several 

 of Bovibayfor 1871-72, pt. ii. 62. medicinal Cucurbitacece, as those of Feuil- 



* No later returns are accessible. lea trilobata L., Hypanthera Guapeva 



* The plant and seeds are known in the Manso and Anisosperma Passiflora Manso. 

 Bisaya language by the names of panga- « Materia Medica, Stockholm, 1778. i. 

 guason, aguason, canlara, mananaog, dan- 146. — We omit citing the Linnean Ignatia 

 cagay, calalonga or igasur; in the islands amara, as it has been shown by Bentham 

 of Bohol and Cebu, where the seeds are that the plant so named by the younger 

 produced, by that of coyacoy, and by the Linnasus is Posogueria longijlora Aubl. of 

 Spaniards of the Philippines as Pepita de the order Rubiacece, a native of Guiana. 

 Bisaya or Pepita de Catbalogan (Clain, 



