155 



to a friend of mine residing in England, so that I expect in a few months to 

 hear something more of this, or else to have selections of seeds, etc., from the 

 plants I have named in my letter, so that I can enquire into this subject 

 myself* 



With regard to antidotes for administration to animals, etc., poisoned 

 with the Tutu plant, I should be inclined to think that in addition to emetics 

 and purgatives, very dilute acids would be beneficial, since by preventing 

 saponification of the oil, they would tend to keep it insoluble, and therefore 

 inert. 



As being somewhat related to the subject, I may state that the seed of 

 the Karaka tree ( Corynocarpus laevigata), which is also of a poisonous nature, 

 has refused, in a similar manner, to yield any alkaloid to my processes, but it 

 gives up an oil to alcohol, which resembles the above in some of its reactions. It 

 seems to exercise a specific effect upon the animal economy, when administered 

 in small doses, inducing at first, great uneasiness, and afterwards, restless, 

 unwilling sleep, with sudden starting ; unfortunately I had not sufficient of 

 it to get any decisive results. 



This oil is also soluble in alcohol, acetic acid, ether, and in hydrochloric 

 acid. 



It is very bitter, and feebly soluble in water. 



In one important respect it differs from the oil of Tutu ; it evolves 

 ammonia when boiled with potash, thus, in regard to its composition, allying 

 itself to the alkaloids, though in its reactions apparently distinct. 



Art. XXXIII. — On the Fusibility of Platinum in the Blowpipe Flame. 

 By W. Skey, Analyst to the Geological Survey of ISTew Zealand. 



[Read before the Wellington Philosophical Society, November 13, 1869.] 



The metal platinum has hitherto been supposed to be infusible, except at a 

 temperature that is so high, as to be incapable of being produced by the 

 common blowpipe ; at least I have carefully searched for any statements to the 

 contraiy without success. 



When I was lately engaged in studying the effects of the hot-blast blow- 

 pipe flame, the results of which investigation have already been communicated 

 to the society (See p. 148), I found it necessary to test, with accuracy, the 

 degree of fusibility of platina ; and discovered that if the loss of heat from the 

 flame, by conduction, was guarded against, platinum can be fused with an 

 ordinary blowpipe blast through a candle flame. The method adopted was to 

 substitute, for the metallic nozzle generally employed, a tube of clay or glass, 

 either of which is a feeble conductor of heat, as compared with metals. 



By this means fine platinum points were fused in an unmistakable 

 manner, to beads. The blast was that ordinarily used in the laboratory by 

 the use of the hydrostatic blowpipe, the flame being that of a stearine candle. 



As it might be urged that, perhaps, the platina I treated, might contain 

 an admixture of more fusible metal, and that its melting point might thus be 

 reduced, I prepared some of the platina for special trial, which was absolutely 

 free from such fusible metals. 



As the fusing point of platinum has been ascertained to be 4593° Fah., 

 "we must, from the above experiment, conclude, that if proper precautions 



* Since this paper was read, I learn from the "London Chemical News" for August 6, 

 1869, that M. Van Ankum has discovered the poisonous principle of the Cicuta virosa to 

 be an essential oil, of formula, Cio. Hs. but ' ' could not find any alkaloid in this plant at 

 all." This was one of the plants especially selected for examination in the communication 

 alluded to. 



