i 



1897.] Dr. H. A. Cummins — A Theory of Vegetable Antitoxins. 15 



The following papers were read : — 



1. Numismatic Notes and Novelties {Ancient and Mediaeval India). — 

 By Vincent A. Smith, I.O.S., (with a plate). 



2. Meghegvara Inscription. — By Nagendranatha Vasu. 

 The papers will be published in the Journal^ Part I, 



3. A Theory of Vegetable Antitoxins. — By Surg.-Capt. H. A. 

 Cummins, A.M.D., F.L.S. Communicated by the Natural History 

 Secretary. 



Preliminary remarks. 



Sec. I. Experiments on absorbtion of plants — Bacteria, &c. — 

 Symbiosis. 



Sec. II. Unorganised ferments — Comparison between physio- 

 logical processes in animal and vegetable cell. 



Sec. III. Antiseptics — Quinine, &c. — Constitution of protoplasm 

 in different species. 



Sec. IV. Alteration in character of secretions by change of 

 environment. 



Sec. V. Contact of protophytes with roots in the soil. Trans- 

 piration. 

 General conclusions. 



Preliminary Remarks. 



The formation of antitoxins in animals leads me to believe that an 

 analogous process may take place naturally in plants. I am not aware 

 that an attempt has ever been made to produce these antitoxic sub- 

 stances artificially in plants. The attempt would undoubtedly be attended 

 with great difficulty as the circulation of vegetable fluids is by no 

 means so free as in the blood vessels of the higher animals. 



The soil contains numberless protophytes doubtless as poisonous 

 in many cases to the higher plants as they are to animals. That intense 

 poisons do exist in the soil is shown particularly in malarious countries 

 where freshly opened ground causes severe fevers among the labourers 

 employed, especially if they are not natives of the locality. 



It would appear that as in animals so in plants antitoxins play a 

 very important part in survival or extinction of species. Among human 

 beings it is known that those living in a certain locality are exempt 

 from diseases the poisons of which exist in the ground or water : as an 

 instance of this we observe the natives of the Gold Coast who suffer 

 little from fever of a malarial character which attacks Europeans or 

 inhabitants of a neighbouring part of the country. We may explain 



