Minutes of Proceedings. 



IX 



collected at Elim, in the Bredasdorp District, and which he in- 

 tended to describe in the Transactions. 



Mr. J. Stuakt Thomson exhibited a remarkable collection of 

 Crustacea collected by the ss. Pieter Faure, with verbal notes on 

 their distribution, &c. 



Mr. C. P. Juritz, read a communication : " Some Notes regarding 

 South African Pharmacology." 



Half a century ago Pappe predicted that amongst the Cape Flora 

 many useful drugs would be discovered, and he deplored the lack of 

 scientific research. Since then there had been scarcely any progress 

 and next to no application had been made of indigenous drugs 

 except by the aborigines. The employment of plants possessing 

 physiological action by native "doctors" had led to many in- 

 dictments for culpable homicide, and the consequent chemico-legal 

 investigations comprise the whole extent of scientific inquiry into 

 the nature of the plant poisons of the Colony. 



Up to the present the only published record of chemical in- 

 vestigation dealing with any of these poisons is Mr. Isaac 

 Meiring's notes on Mesembrianthemnm tortuosum, read before this 

 Society in September, 1896. 



The plants mentioned in the present paper have been far from 

 exhaustively examined, either chemically or as to their physiological 

 action : only so much scientific investigation has been made in each 

 instance as proved necessary to elucidate the points required to be 

 made clear for legal purposes. 



Under this restriction the following plants have been examined : 

 Trichilia Dregei, E. Mayer, which was said to have caused the death 

 of a Kafir woman. Slender, needle-shaped crystals, not of an 

 alkaloidal nature, were obtained from this plant. 



Mesembrianthemum tortuosum, L., appeared to contain an essential 

 oil which possessed a peppermint-like odour. The plant was 

 apparently soporific, caused dilation of the pupil of the eye and 

 lessened the sensibility thereof. 



An undescribed species of Gomphocarpus was tested physio- 

 logically with negative results. 



Fairly exhaustive tests were applied to needle-shaped crystals 

 which constituted i per cent, of the bark of the "Umjela" tree 

 (Taberncemontana ventricosa, Hochst.) which is said to possess 

 therapeutic properties rivalling those of Quinine. The most 

 characteristic reaction was that yielded with Vitali's test, namely, 

 a beautiful crimson lake colour, which appeared to be very delicate. 

 'The active principle seemed to be an as yet unknown alkaloid. 



An uncrystallisable principle, apparently an alkaloid, was obtained 



