xii, a. 4 Brill and Williams: A Specific for Leprosy 219 



It is to be regretted that we were unable to procure more leper 

 blood in order that this study might have been extended. 



To determine the action of amygdalin on lepers, tablets weigh- 

 ing approximately 0.05 gram were made and submitted as No. 

 11. 



Directions: One tablet every other day gradually increasing the size and 

 frequency of the dose. 



The Culion authorities reported no marked reactions with 

 amygdalin, but the trial was not over a long period. It might 

 give more favorable results under improved conditions. 



HYDNOCARPUS ANTHELMINTICA 



For the purpose of further confirming the results of Power 

 and others on their work on chaulmoogra and hydnocarpus 

 oils, the constants of the oil from the seeds of Hydnocarpus 

 anthelmintica obtained from Madras, through the kindness of 

 H. G. Carter, and examined in the Bureau of Science, are added. 



Table XIII. — Constants of oils from Hydnocarpus anthelmintica seeds. 





Results. 





0.9487 



+49.50 



0.6 



206.2 



1.4725 



90.8 



» 0. 9520 



51.0 



8.1 



208.0 













82.5 





a At 25° C. Results of Power and Barrowcliff, loc. cit. 



The results are close enough to prove the identity of the 

 seeds furnishing the two oils. 



DISCUSSION 



As has been previously stated, the medicinal administration of 

 chaulmoogra oil should be accompanied by the chemical control 

 of the samples used. It seems plausible to think that the slow- 

 ness of the changes caused by the use of chaulmoogra oil in the 

 treatment of leprosy may be due to the small quantity of the 

 active constituent present in the oil. If this constituent could 

 be isolated and administered in concentrated form, more rapid 

 cures should result, and the treament would undoubtedly be less 

 painful. 



The results of Rogers 17 with the free acids and the sodium 



" Loc. cit. 



