106 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. VIL. 
eynth, and presumably in the allied species like Adrit, that crystalline. 
soluble Colocynthin, when pure, does not, under all conditions, cause 
diarrhoea ; hence it is apparent that the crystalline element needs the 
presence of colloidal substances such as occur in Colocynth, for it to be 
with certainty carried into the intestine to produce any irritant or 
drastic effects. . 
It will be perhaps easy to account for the abortifacient effects of 
Kéarit if we remember how powerful irritants of the intestinal canal 
and of the rectum especially affect the pelvic organs. Increased 
peristalsis produced by intestinal irritants known as “ aperients” 
means increased hyperzemia of the mucous membrane of the intestines. 
This hypereemia extends to the neighbouring pelvic organs when 
powerful irritants attack the lowermost part of the intestine. “ Thus in 
gravid uterus,” says Schmeidberg, “‘contractions may be caused ending 
in abortion and premature labour.” It has ever been held a golden 
rule in pregnaney not to give acrid or powerful purgatives at any time 
during pregnancy. ‘The abortifacient effect of Kdarit may be pre- 
sumed, in the cases recorded, to be probably of a secondary nature, 
although it is not so stated in the Bombay Chemical Analyser’s report, 
there being no details of the case forthcoming in that report. 
DESCRIPTION OF PLATE G. 
1. Terminal branch of the plant with leaves, fruits, male and female 
flowers, in the axils of leaves. 
2. Section transversely through the middle of the fruit. 
