122 Transactions of the South African Philosophical Society. 



at first restlessness, then muscular twitchings, and finally alternating 

 violent muscular contractions and relaxations. The hearts were 

 found to be somewhat pale, but not contracted, and contained 

 much blood. The liver was practically normal, though pale, 

 and the intestines much contracted and twisted. An aqueous 

 extract, representing 35 grains of the dried and powdered bulb, 

 administered to a healthy dog seven months old, produced rest- 

 lessness in fifteen minutes, excitement of the sensory nerves, 

 considerable acceleration of the pulse, and clonic convulsions. 

 Gradual recovery then took place, and on the day following the dog 

 appeared quite well again. After two days another dose, equal to 

 80 grains of the dried bulb, was administered. Within ten minutes 

 anxious restlessness ensued, followed by sudden shivering and 

 muscular twitchings. Forty-five minutes after administration of 

 the dose alternate paroxysms of convulsions and intervals of quiet 

 succeeded, the dog seeming at times to be at the point of death from 

 asphyxia through rigidity of the respiratory muscles. From this 

 stage recovery gradually took place, health being apparently restored 

 by the next day, although great weakness prevailed. A larger dose 

 would doubtless have been fatal. The active principle contained in 

 this bulb evidently belongs to the excito-motor class, herein resem- 

 bling nux vomica. The alkaloid, if such it is, seems to present a 

 closer similarity in its physiological action to brucine than to 

 strychnine, differing, however, from both in its chemical reaction. 

 It must not be imagined that alkaloids and glucosides alone are 

 poisonous of all the principles occurring in plants. I have already 

 touched on the possibly toxic character of an essential oil which is 

 present in Mesembrianthemum tortuosam ; another case of this 

 description was noticed in respect of an unknown root which was 

 said to have caused the death of a native woman at Qumbu. The 

 sender forwarded only the bare root — no leaves, flowers, fruit, or 

 anything by which the plant could be identified. No alkaloid or 

 glucoside was found, but the supposed poison was accounted for by 

 the presence of a resin which formed about 1 per cent, of the root. 

 This resin yielded the following reactions : — 



Solubility Soluble in 50 to 80 per cent, alcohol ; 



slightly soluble in water. 

 Concentrated sulphuric acid Dissolves with bright yellow colour, 



which is destroyed on addition of 



nitric acid. 

 Concentrated sulphuric acid with 



potassium dichromate Fades to greenish-blue. 



Frohde's reagent Bright yellow colour, permanent. 



Concentrated nitric acid Insoluble, discoloured. 



