Cuap. IX. ALKALOID POISONS. 203 
completely re-expanded, but the glands were much discoloured. 
Hence this salt is not poisonous in any high degree. The 
different action of the three foregoing salts of quinine is sin- 
gular. 
Diygitaline —Half-minims of a solution of one part to 487 of 
water were placed on the discs of five leaves. In 3 hrs. 45 m. 
some of them had their tentacles, and one had its blade, 
moderately inflected. After 8 hrs. three of them were well in- 
flected; the fourth had only a few tentacles inflected, and the 
fifth (an old leaf) was not at all affected. They remained in 
nearly the same state for two days, but the glands on their discs 
became pale. On the third day the leaves appeared much 
injured. Nevertheless, when bits of meat were placed on two 
of them, the outer tentacles became inflected. A minute drop 
(about 3, of a minim) of the solution was applied to three 
glands, and after 6 hrs. all three tentacles were inflected, but 
next day had nearly re-expanded; so that this very small dose 
of sqioq Of a grain (00225 mg.) acts on a tentacle, but is not 
poisonous. It appears from these several facts that digitaline 
causes inflection, and poisons the glands which absorb a 
moderately large amount. 
Nicotine-—The secretion round several glands was touched - 
with a minute drop of the pure fluid, and the glands were 
instantly blackened; the tentacles becoming inflected in a few 
minutes. Two leaves were immersed in a weak solution of two 
drops to 1 oz., or 487 grains, of water. When examined 
after 3 hrs. 20 m., only twenty-one tentacles on one leaf were 
closely inflected, and six on the other slightly so; but all the 
glands were blackened, or very dark-coloured, with the pro- 
toplasm in all the cells of all the tentacles much aggregated 
and <lark-coloured. The leaves were not quite killed, for on 
being placed in a little solution of carbonate of ammonia 
@ grs. to 1 oz.) a few more tentacles became inflected, the 
remainder not being acted on during the next 24 hrs. 
Half-minims of a stronger solution (two drops to 4 oz. of 
water) were placed on the discs of six leaves, and in 30 m. all 
those tentacles became inflected; the glands of which had 
actually touched the svlution, as shown by their blackness ; 
but hardly any motor influence was transmitted to the outer 
tentacles. After 22 hrs. most of the glands on the discs ap- 
peared dead; but this could not have been the case, as when 
bits of meat were placed on three of them, some few of the 
outer tentacles were inflected in 24 hrs. Hence nicotine has a 
great tendency to blacken the glands and to induce aggregation 
