126 VBTEEINAEY TOXICOLOGY 



COCCULUS INDICUS. 



OccUFFence. — The seed kernels of Anamirta paniculata, 

 or Levant nut, well known as Cocculus indicus, contain a 

 chemically neutral active principle, picrotoxin, which is 

 probably a glucoside. The Levant nut has an inter- 

 esting toxicological history, but cases of poisoning by it 

 of the large animals are not described, although it is 

 stated that a small percentage of malicious poisonings 

 of cattle in India are due to it. Taylor* relates cases of 

 picrotoxin poisoning which will show the possible vehicles. 

 The principle is very bitter and intoxicating, though in 

 large doses it causes intense pain and frequent vomiting. 

 It used to be employed as an adulterant to beer, and Taylor 

 cites cases of poisoning by this means. It was also used 

 as a fish poison, to poison wheat for the destruction of 

 birds, and by robbers to render their victims powerless or 

 " hocussed " (Taylor). 



Cushny classes picrotoxin, as regar-ds its effects, along 

 with cicutoxin and cenanthotoxin, the active principles of 

 Cicuta virosa and (Enanthe crocata respectively (see these). 



Chemical Diagnosis. — Picrotoxin is yielded to organic 

 solvents from the acid liquid in the systematic search for 

 poisons. Sulphuric acid and ammonium molybdate (Frohde's 

 reagent) gives a gold to saffron-yellow colour. If picrotoxin 

 is evaporated to dryness with a little strong nitric acid, the 

 residue just moistened with concentrated sulphuric acid, 

 and caustic soda added, a red colour is produced. 



CANNABIS INDICA, OR INDIAN HEMP. 



Cannabis indica is the dried flowering or fruiting tops of 

 the female plant of Cannabis sativa, native to India, and is 

 officinal in the British Pharmacopoeia. In India the drug 

 is rarely used for homicidal purposes, but is sometimes 

 employed to produce narcosis and facilitate the commission 



* ' Poisons,' 1875, p. 678. 



