56 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. IX. 



render it frothy. Their action is related to that of Emetine. Injected 

 into the blood, they cause paralysis of the central nervous system. 

 tl Small doses cause symptoms in man closely resembling the nauseant 

 stage of emesis — that is, a raw feeling in the throat, tendency to 

 cough, and increased secretion of mucus" (Elements of Pharmacology, 

 p. 68). According to Lauder Brunton Saponin produces anaesthesia, 

 and even both sensory and motor paralysis, if applied locally (Phar- 

 macology Therap. and Mat. Med., p. 836, ed. 1885). It may, therefore, 

 be presumed that it is questionable if Saponin is at all to be found 

 in the species of the Aroid family we have been referring to. Paralysis 

 has very seldom, if ever, been noted in cases of arum-poisoning ; 

 whereas, instead of there being anaesthesia, there is positive itching 

 and hypersesthesia. 



But to return once more to the researches of Warden and Pedler. 

 Their analysis of the ash of the tubers of Bish Kachoo indicated the 

 presence of a large amount of potassium and magnesium; calcium 

 was also present, but not sodium. The acids found were carbonic, 

 phosphoric, and hydrochloric with traces of sulphuric. They also 

 obtained marked quantities of potassic nitrate from the dried tubers. 

 They add that the examination of the ash failed to afford them any 

 clue to the physiological action of the fresh tubers. Their micro- 

 scopical examination of a section of the tuber revealed mumerous 

 bundles of needle-shaped crystals. Similar crystals were also found 

 in the leaves and stems. These crystals were insoluble in cold acetio 

 acid, but easily soluble in cold dilute nitric or hydrochloric acid ; 

 caustic potash was without action. Crystalline bundles were visible 

 in sections of boiled tubers, examined cold. Warden and Pedler come 

 to the conclusion that these are crystals of oxalate of lime, and that 

 the physiological symptoms caused by Arums are due purely to the 

 mechanical irritation which they cause. " Bearing in mind the action 

 of the re-agents on calcic oxalate," they say, " the reason why mere 

 boiling the tubers in water failed to deprive them of their activity is 

 explained by the insolubility of oxalate of lime in water." Again, 

 the action of dilute acetic acid even at a temperature of 100° C. in 

 slightly lessening the activity of the tubers is due to the very slight 

 solubility of oxalate of lime in that acid. And, lastly, the complete 

 loss of all physiological action when the tubers were treated with 

 dilute nitric or hydrochloric acid is evidently due to the ready solu- 



