14 A&AM1RTA PANICULATA 



grains of picrotoxin, with one ounce of prepared lard), as an insecti- 

 cide, to destroy pediculi, &c., and in some obstinate forms of 

 chronic skin disease. Its use, however, requires great caution, 

 and more especially so when the skin is abraded. 



Cocculus indicus and picrotoxin act as intoxicating agents, 

 and hence the former is used for taking fish, which it stupe- 

 fies, and for adulterating beer and ale. For the latter purpose 

 especially it is said to be largely employed by publicans, to impart 

 a bitter taste to the malt liquors and to increase their intoxicating 

 effects, but it must be admitted that we have no very satisfactory 

 evidence on this point, for but very few cases are on record in which 

 cocculus indicus has been detected by chemists in malt liquors ; 

 although recently a correspondent in the ' Pharmaceutical Journal ' 

 Las found cocculus indicus in some port wine lees. 



Per. Mat. Med., vol. ii, pt. 2, p. 667 ; Pharmacographia, p. 30 ; 

 U. S. Disp., by W. & B., p. 1573 ; Gerarde's Herbal, by John- 

 son, 1636, p. 1549 ; Bentley, Man. Bot., p. 411 ; Pharm. Journ., 

 vol. xv, 1st ser., p. 407, and vol. vi, 3rd ser., p. 540. 



DESCRIPTION OF PLATE. 



The male flowers and foliage drawn from a specimen in the British Museum 

 from the Calcutta Botanic Garden (Wallich) ; the female flowers and fruit 

 from specimens in the same herbarium, collected by Thwaites in Ceylon 

 (no. 2722 = A. toodfera, Miers). 



1. Leaves. 



2. Panicle of female inflorescence. 



3. A female flower. 



4. The same, with the sepals removed, 



5. The same, with the carpels also removed to show the ring of abortive 



stamens and gynophore. 



6. A male flower. 



7. Section of an anther, 



8. Fruit. 



9. A single drupe, ventral surface* 



10. Vertical, and 11. Transverse section of the same. <. 



(3-7 enlarged.) 



