50 1 Transactions of the South African Philosophical Society. 



apparent effect is noticeable, such as hurried breathing, uneasiness, 

 and a marked moistness of the skin. In about ten to twenty minutes' 

 breathing only takes place at long intervals, and when the frog is 

 placed on its back it cannot right itself. Keflex action seems to be 

 marked and consciousness to be retained. After an interval of from 

 four to eight hours entire recovery takes place, although in some 

 cases they have died. This is an average case of a good many 

 experiments. The effect on frogs seems so peculiar that it could 

 almost be considered a test for the drug. On guineapigs the effect 

 is slight even in doses ten times as much as for a frog, uneasiness 

 and refusal of food being the only apparent effect. In two cases of 

 experiment the one guineapig died twenty-four hours afterwards, 

 the other one recovering altogether in that time. 



In conclusion I wish to say that in 1894 I mentioned the above 

 results, and gave a small quantity (all I had) of the plant to Dr. 

 Rubenstein, then on his way to Germany. He writes to say that 

 Dr. Fromm, in Freiburg, had found it to contain a chemical body 

 capable of being crystallised (alkaloid or glucoside?), which, contrary 

 to his (Dr. Rubenstein' s) expectations, does not resemble curara, but 

 rather morphine, but through want of material further research was 

 impossible. 



Although these notes do not pretend to be an exhaustive examina- 

 tion of the constituents of the plant, nor of the alkaloid itself, and 

 this must be left to others better able to do so, still, should they 

 have incited interest in original research in this direction, my object 

 would have been attained. 



September, 1896. 



