Some Notes Begarding South African Pharmacology. 117 



One of the first cases of poisoning with an indigenous plant to 

 come under my notice officially was that of a Kaffir woman at 

 Port St. John's, who died after partaking of a decoction said to 

 have been made from Trichilia Dregei, E. Mayer, belonging to the 

 Meliacece, an order comprising several plants which contain dis- 

 tinctly active principles. The bark was subjected to Dragendorffs 

 method of treatment for the extraction and isolation of possible 

 poisonous principles, but, with the exception of the acidulated 

 aqueous solution obtained from the ethereal extract, which yielded 

 thin, slender, needle-shaped crystals after the evaporation of the 

 chloroform wherewith the above solution, previously rendered 

 alkaline, had been shaken up, no solvent used extracted any active 

 principle, nor did any of the residues yield any characteristic 

 reactions with any of the alkaloidal reagents. The small needle- 

 shaped crystals referred to responded to only one distinct alkaloidal 

 test, namely, a yellowish-white amorphous precipitate with phospho- 

 molybdic acid. When forwarding the plant materials, the local 

 District surgeon stated that there was some uncertainty as to 

 whether they were really derived from the same plant as that 

 from which the decoction that had produced the fatal result was 

 prepared. In cases such as this contradictory statements are very 

 often made regarding the symptoms said to have been witnessed 

 at the time — statements which are of necessity exceedingly eon- 

 fusing to the scientific investigator, the more so as the physiological 

 action said to have been observed has generally to be accepted upon 

 the hearsay evidence of unskilled persons. 



I have alluded to Mr. Meiring's communication on the subject 

 of the active principle contained in Mesembrianthemum tortuosum, L. 

 The plant is known locally as Hottentot's Kouwgoed, and has a 

 soporific effect. As was already pointed out by Pappe,* the natives 

 are in the habit of chewing it, and become intoxicated. Mr. Meiring 

 found this plant to contain an alkaloidal principle, and although 

 he does not mention any characteristic colour reactions by which 

 this alkaloid may be distinguished, he appears to have proved the 

 alkaloidal nature of the substance by means of several reagents 

 usually applied in such cases. I do not, however, find any mention 

 of the fact that this plant contains an essential oil. Now, some 

 years ago a case of poisoning which occurred near Worcester was 

 submitted for investigation : the persons affected, two children, 

 came home staggering, and suffering from irregular spasms, with 

 great drowsiness. The pulse was small and very rapid, the pupil 

 of the eye dilated and insensible except to severe stimulation. 



* Pappe, " Florae Capensis Meclicae Prodromus," 2nd ed., 1857, p. 17. 



