460 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. VII. 
upon all sorts of animals in so uniform a manner that each of the 
substances seems, as regards its individual action, a true copy of any one 
of the others. The most important of this group is the one which 
gives it its distinguishing name in pharmacology, namely, Digitalin, 
which, together with Digitalein and Digitoxin, form the active princi- 
ples of Foxglove. Next to these comes the active principle of Squills, 
named Scillain. Next come Helleborin,the active principle of Hellebore, 
and Oleandrin, otherwise called Nerein, to which the Common Oleander 
owes its poisonous properties. Then there is Apocyanein. Finally, 
belonging to this group are Adonis, the active principle of Adonis, 
Vernalis and Convallamarin, the active principle of Convallaria 
Majalias (Lilly of the Valley). 
Scillain, Helleborin, Adonis, and Oleandrin or Nerein are not crys- 
talline and are almost insoluble in water. Digitalin, Apocyanein and 
Convallamarin are glucosides which form frothy solution with water 
like Saponin, a glucoside contained in the bark of Quillaia of Chili 
(Quillaia saponaria). Thevetin, Antiarin aud Strophanthin, belonging 
to the Digitaline Group, are considered by Schmiedeberg as rarities. 
The action of these active principles included in the digitaline group 
consists almost exclusively in the fact that they alter ina peculiar 
way the elasticity of the cardiac muscle without at first modifying 
the contractility of it. There are three stages distinctly, from their 
preliminary action to their most potent final effect :—(I)—Jn the first 
stage, there is a rise of blood-pressure and consequent slowing of the 
pulse, larger quantities of blood being thrown into the aorta and 
thence into the arteries. This effect can be kept up by small doses 
of the substances of this group. (II)—Jn the second stage, there is 
continuous high blood-pressure with irregularity both in the action 
of the heart and in the frequency of the pulse. (II1)—Jn the third 
stage, there is sudden arrest of the action of the heart from the 
paralysis of that organ as indicated by a rapid fall of the blood-pressure. 
It is as such that Thevetin is supposed to act, especially producing 
the phenomena characteristic of the second and third stages. The 
subcutaneous injections of this substance, Schmiedeberg observes, 
“‘cause phlegmonous inflammations more or less readily.” Closely 
connected with this, is its action on the stomach and intestines which 
causes gastric disturbance, diarrhoea and other symptoms, well known 
