246 VETEEINAEY TOXICOLOGY 



small intermittent pulse, temperature 104° F., quickened 

 respiration, dilated pupil, staggering gait, and greenish 

 diarrhoea. 



On Post -Mortem the blood was dark and tarry, the 

 ventricles firmly contracted. 



The bitter-sweet probably contains a second alkaloid, 

 which has been called dulcamarine, to which is attributed 

 the mydriatic effect which is not characteristic of solanin. 



Cases of poisoning by the other species, Solanum nigrum, 

 are very rare, and would probably present the same general 

 features. S. triflorum has been reported as poisoning 

 cattle in Nebraska. 



Chemical Diagnosis. — In seeking for organic poisons 

 solanidine passes from an alkaline solution into ether. 

 Solanin behaves like morphine. Solanin colours orange, 

 passing on warrding to violet, and red-brown on warming 

 with strong sulphuric acid, Erdmann's or Frohde's reagents. 

 A characteristic test consists in warming with a few drops 

 of a solution of selenic (or selenious) acid in sulphuric acid 

 (6 of acid to 8 of water by volume). A pale red colour is 

 produced, and on cooling and standing a beautiful red is 

 developed. 



Nicotine. 



Occurrence. — The tobacco plant, Nicotiana Tabacum, 

 represents the third group of the poisonous Solanacece, very 

 rarely cultivated in this country, but extensively used for 

 smoking, and owing its activity to the very poisonous 

 volatile alkaloid nicotine, which is contained to the extent 

 of 5 to 7 per cent, of the dry leaf. Infusions of tobacco are 

 sometimes used as constituents of parasiticides for external 

 application, and also for spraying trees. Most of the acci- 

 dents attributed to tobacco are due to the use of lotions for 

 parasites, for nicotine is readily absorbed through wounds, 

 though not through the whole skin, and the poison may 

 also be licked off the skin. N. glauca, or wild tobacco, is 

 responsible for poisoning in South Africa. 



