1298 INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 



squill, but that, as it grows larger, it becomes useless. The 

 outer coats are always quite inert. It is also possible, as 

 suggested by O'Shaughnessy, that the medicinal virtues may 

 vary with the season and locality of collection. The officinal 

 squill is well-known to be thus affected. On the Spanish coast, 

 it has been found quite inert in one locality, while as active as 

 usual at the distance of a few miles. A sufficient proof of its 

 value, if collected and stored judiciously, is found in the fact 

 that, for many years, it has been used as a substitute for the 

 officinal squill at the Government Medical Store Depot in 

 Bombay. The dried bulb met with in bazars sells at from 1 to 

 2 annas per lb. according to quality. (Dymock.) 



" There are several other species of Ur inea met with in India, and these 

 are doubtless used in some cases as inferior grades. The most general 

 substitutes or adulterants for the above are Crinum asiaticum and latifolium, 

 Dipcadi unicolor, Pancratium triflorum." — Watt's Commercial Products, p. 1049. 



In the Indian Forester for February, 1917, Mr. G. 0. 



Coombs, Extra-deputy Conservator of Forests, writes — 



The Director of Industries writes to say that there is no starch in the 

 bulbs, but that, so far as his investigations have gone, they provide a valu- 

 able sizing agent, and he has hopes that the size may be taken up by the 

 Cotton Mills. He further states that the bulbs furnish a substitute for 

 gum tragacanth, and as such should have a commercial value, and he has 

 reason to believe that they may have medicinal value as squills. 



Chemical composition.— The sample dried at 100°C. was examined by 

 DragendorfTs method, with the following results :— 



Petroleum ether extract ... ... '036 per cent. 



Ether extract ... ... ... *028 „ 



Absolute alcohol extract ... ... '152 „ 



Aqueous extract ... ... ... 7730 „ 



Ash ... ... ... 5-69 „ 



The petroleum ether extract was a greasy white residue and non-crys- 

 talline. The ether extract contained no alkaloidal p rinciple ; under the micros- 

 cope a few imperfect four-side plates were visible. 



The alcoholic extract from 9 grams of the anhydrous squills injected into 

 a cat's stomach caused vomiting in 20 minutes, and the passage of a solid stool 

 about an hour after the injection ; no blood in vomit or stool ; the cat was not 

 otherwise affected in any way. The aqueous extract consisted chiefly of 

 gum. 



The fresh squill in slices distilled with water afforded a distillate posses- 

 sing an aromatic odour, but in which no appreciable amount of oil was visible. 

 The distillate was agitated with ether ; on spontaneous evaporation of the 



