VEGETABLE AND ANIMAL TOXINS. 43 



ticular by Warden and Waddell,* then by Robert -j- 

 and de Hellin,f is found in the fruit of the Legumi- 

 nosse, Abrus precatorius (wild licorice, or jequirity). 

 Its name was given it by Warden and Waddell, who 

 discovered both its toxic nature and the vegetable 

 toxin; the toxin is found only in the seeds. To 

 extract it, the seeds are macerated in water, and 

 the solution filtered and precipitated with alcohol; 

 the precipitate which forms is collected and dis- 

 solved in distilled water, from which it is again pre- 

 cipitated by adding powdered ammonium sulphate. 

 The precipitate is then collected and submitted 

 to dialysis in order to eliminate the ammonium 

 sulphate. The abrin so obtained forms an albu- 

 minoid substance § stable at ioo° C, and possessing 

 rotatory power; it liquefies starch paste, and is 

 extremely toxic. One milligramme suffices to kill 

 a rabbit within several hours. It must be observed, 

 however, that, as is the case with all the toxins, 

 abrin acts or kills only after a period of incubation 

 which generally exceeds twenty-four hours. 



It is possible to vaccinate an organism so as to 

 withstand a lethal dose of abrin, but it requires 

 quite a long time; it is effected by injecting into 



* Warden and Waddell: Non-bacillar Nature of Abrus Poison. 

 Calcutta, 1884. 



t Kobert: Arbeit, aus dem Pharmak. Instilut. Dorpat, 1893. 



t Hellin: Inaug. Dissert. Dorpat, 1891. 



§ Ehrlich : Experiment. Untersuchungen uber Immunitat. 

 Deutsch. Med. Woch., 1891. 



