STROPHANTHUS SARMENTOSUS : ITS PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTION. 



349 



The minimum-letha] dose of this arrow-poison is 2f times as great as that of extract 

 of S. sarmentosus. The symptoms and post-mortem appearances are identical with 

 those caused by extract of S. sarmentosus. 



In the investigation of the toxic power, the general effects and the effects on the 

 more important functions and structures of the body of S. sarmentosus, we made use of an 

 alcoholic extract of the seeds which had been deprived of all substances soluble in ether, 

 and whose mode of preparation and chief characters have already been described (p. 343). 



A. Lethality or Toxic Power. 



The experiments made with the extract for the purpose of ascertaining the minimum 

 quantity capable of producing death when administered by subcutaneous injection to 

 frogs, rats, rabbits and cats, have been arranged in Tables V., VI., VII. and VIII. # 



Table V. — Minimum-Lethal Dose of Extract for Frogs (Rana iemporaria and R. esculenta). 



No. of 

 Experiment. 



Weight of 

 Animal in grams. 



Actual Dose 

 in grams. 



Dose per kilo- 

 gram of Animal 

 in grams. 



Result. 



1 



30 R. esc. 



0000045 



0-0015 



Recovery. Slight effects. 



2 



24 R. temp. 



000006 



0-0025 



Recovery. Slight effects. 



3 



28 R. temp. 



0000077 



0-00275 



Recovery. Slight effects. 



4 



38 R. esc. 



0000114 



0-003 



Recovery. Distinct effects. 



5 



42 R. esc. 



0-000126 



0-003 



Recovery. Slight effects. 



6 



32 R. temp. 



0-0001024 



0-0032 



Recovery. Slight effects. 



7 



33 R. esc. 



0001089 



0-0033 



Recovery. Severe effects. 



8 



38 R. esc. 



0-0001254 



0-0033 



Death after 6 and before 21 hours. 



9 



41 R. esc. 



00001394 



00034 



Recovery. Severe effects. 



10 



41 R. temp. 



0-0001394 



0-0034 



Recovery. Distinct effects. 



11 



24 R. temp. 



0000084 



0-0035 



Death fifter 9 and before 10^ hours. 



12 



42 R. temp. 



0-000147 



0-0035 



Death in 3J hours. 



13 



42 R. esc. 



0-0001596 



0-0038 



Death in 4 hours. 



14 



30 R. temp. 



0-000112 



0-004 



Death in 2 hours 20 minutes. 



15 



34 R. esc. 



0-00017 



0-005 



Death in 1 hour 50 minutes. 



* In the case of warm-blooded animals — rats, rabbits and cats — the weight was taken and the extract was 

 administered always at the end of the same interval of time (18 hours) subsequent to the last reception of food, in 

 order to eliminate, as far as possible, variations in weight due to differences in the amount of the contents of the 

 alimentary canal. 



TRANS. ROY. SOC. EDIN, TOL. XLVII. PART II. (NO. 15). 



53 



