210 PROFESSOR RUTHERFORD ON THE 
possesses the power of paralysing the hepatic secretory nerves is doubtful; but, 
seeing that it antagonises the effect of physostigma on the liver, and remember- 
ing the action of these substances on the nerves of the heart and salivary 
glands, the suspicion is entertainable that physostigma stimulates the hepatic 
cells through a nervous apparatus that is affected in an opposite sense—possibly 
paralysed—by atropia; while the hepatic cells, and perhaps some nervous 
mechanism like the motor ganglia of the heart in close relation to them, are 
unaffected by atropia. 
ACTION OF RESINA MENISPERMI oR ‘‘ MENISPERMIN.” 
The substance termed menispermin by Keira & Co. of 41 Liberty Street, 
New York, is derived from the root of the yellow parilla (Wenispermum 
canadense). Messrs KeitH have informed me that the crude root of the plant 
is dried, crushed, and percolated with alcohol. The alcohol is then evaporated 
or distilled off, leaving the active principles in the form of an extract, which is 
then “freed from impurities,” dried, and pulverised. How it is freed from 
impurities is not stated. This is also the manner in which they prepare 
baptisin, phytolaccin, hydrastin, and juglandin—substances whose actions are 
described in the sequel. 
Menispermin is stated by Krrru (Op. xiv.) to be “alterative, tonic, laxative, 
diuretic, stimulant, and resolvent, and to be useful in hepatic torpor, indiges- 
tion,” &c. On this account, we experimented with it on the liver; but we pro-— 
bably would not have taken the trouble had we at the time been aware of the 
account given of its effects by Woop and BacuE (Op. x. p. 1555). In that 
account the root is said to be a gently stimulating tonic, probably very closely 
allied to -."umba, which also belongs to the Menispermacez. The medium 
dose of KeITH’s menispermin for a man is two grains. 
Experiment 55. Dog that had fasted eighteen hours. Weight 23:1 kilo- 
grammes (fig. 55).—Seven grains of menispermin, triturated with 1°5 cc. of bile | 
and 3 cc. of water, were injected into the duodenum at m; and, as no obvious 
effect ensued, seven grains of baptisin, similarly treated, were injected into the | 
duodenum at &. The secretion of bile thereafter speedily rose. The result was 
evidently somewhat equivocal, and therefore another experiment, in which 
menispermin was alone given, was performed. 
Necropsy.—The duodenal mucous membrane showed only one slightly 
reddened patch. There was but scanty evidence of purgative action, for the | 
upper part of the small intestine contained only 35 cc. of fluid; but whether 
due to a purgative action of the menispermin, or of the baptisin, could not be 
apparent from this experiment. 
Experiment 56. Dog that had fasted seventeen hours. Weight 15:7 
kilogrammes (fig. 56).—Two cc. of bile and 2 cc. of water were injected into the 
