70 PRELIMINARY NOTES ON SOME NEW POISONOUS PLANTS 
sensible to pain. Soon, however, complete paralysis of the whole 
muscular system takes place, the animal dying asphyxiated. 
Violent contractions of the facial muscles are the last apparent 
of life; but the heart in some cases beats on slowly for a 
few minutes ; 3 rigor mortis rapidly ensues 
I conclude, from experiments made ‘upon cats, guinea-pigs, 
frogs, and grasshopper s,— 
1. That this poison paralyses the crn nervous system. 
2. That it does not affect s — nerv 
3. That it is not a muscle poiso: 
The same poisonous property existe in Daphnandra micrantha, 
Benth., and in a new species called ““aromatica,” discovered on the 
Johnstone, and so named by my friend Mr. F. M. Bai ey on 
account of its aromatic taste and smell resembling Sarsaparilla. 
B.—Archidendron V: aillantit, F. v. M., a leguminous tree, 
attracted attention by its conspicuous pods, containing beans of a 
black colour and nauseous hot taste. The bark is also hot and 
Alcoholic extract of the dried bean was made, five grains of 
which, suspended in a few minims of water, were — under 
the skin of a kitten, which died asphyxiated in a few 
The bark was found to be more poisonous than the bean or 
leaves. 
uinea-pigs poisoned with this substance have painful convulsive 
movements of the whole muscular system, oe in frequen 
rce as the poison gets absorbed. The hind legs become 
paralysed, and the animals lie in a helpless state for many hours 
before they die, and utter feeble cries when moved about. After 
death the muscles contract when cut across, or when stimulated 
through their nerves up to their exit from the chord. 
Neither the motor nor the sensory nerves seem to be affected. 
This substance kills by paralysing the reflex function of the 
spinal chord. 
C.—Pongamia glabra, Vent., a tree of the order Leguminose, 
contains in all parts of the plant a principle of considerable activity 
as an emetic. 
Frogs poisoned with extract of the bark vomit for several hours, 
-_ which they become torpid, and generally die within forty 
ours. 
D.—Zanthoxylum veneficum, Bail., a small tree of the order 
Rutacee, being a new species discovered in August, 1885. The 
bark possesses a cally a gp ial to taste like aconite. The 
