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Art. XLII. — On Certain Proioerties of the Tutu Plant (Coriaria ruscifolia).* 



By H. G. Hughes, M.P.S., Hokitika. 



[Read hefore the Wellington PhilosojjMcal Society, November 12, 1870.] 



During the past year I have devoted my leisure to tlie investigation of the 

 properties of the Tutu plant, and communicated my resvilts from time to time 

 to Dr. Hector and Mr. Skey, -who kindly assisted me with their criticisms. 

 The following paper embodies a brief account of my experiments, which 

 circumstances have unfortunately prevented my completing as I wished to 

 have done. 



About three-quarters of a pound of the fresh ground shoots were treated 

 with successive quantities of distilled water slightly acidulated. After filtering 

 and adding the acetate of lead in excess, it was submitted to the action of 

 sulphuretted hydrogen, again filtered, and evaporated to the consistency of an 

 extract. This extract was well washed with successive quantities of alcohol, 

 filtered, evaporated, and ammonia added, when a precipitate resembling 

 Kermes mineral was separated (resinous matter). It was still further concen- 

 trated, distilled water added, and again filtered from precipitate ; evaporation 

 continued, again ti-eated with alcohol, filtered and evaporated to a syrupy 

 consistence. On cooling, a few crystals formed with difficulty. This thick 

 solution possessed very active properties, and a quantity of it, certainly not 

 more than one-twelfth of a grain (I was scarcely aware of having tasted it), 

 in five minutes time produced a most disagreeably irritating sensation in the 

 throat, extending to the stomach, with pain across the region of the stomach, 

 and accompanied by nausea. In a quarter of an hours time, vomiting came 

 on, which continued more or less for two hours. Very unpleasant sensations 

 continued for two hours more, when, after great flushing of the face, with all 

 but intolerable heat, the efiects passed away. Of course, not anything was 

 taken to counteract the poison. On the addition of a little ether to the thick 

 solution, a qiiantity of acicular crystals immediately made their appearance, 

 but became redissolved as the ether slowly volatilized. The whole was 

 afterwards shaken up with ether, the ethereal solution separated. Upon 

 spontaneous evaporation, three or four drops of a fine yellow-coloured fragrant 

 oil was as residue. The fragrancy increased upon the application of a gentle 

 heat. Upon evaporating the thick alcoholic solution, crystals of supposed 

 alkaloid formed. These were redissolved and recrystallized until their solution 

 in alcohol was perfectly colourless. During the final evaporation of an 

 alcoholic solution, an accident occurred, and they were lost, having been 

 burnt. The residue was black and charred (carbonaceous). 



* See former paper on same subject, by Mr. Skey. (Trans. N. Z. In^t., Vol. ii., p. 153.) 



