51 
of Edinburgh, Session 1866-67. 
was the mortality at each quinquennial period of life. The slightly 
higher mortality, again, in the married between 40 and 45 years of 
age, at which time the change of life occurs among the women of 
Scotland, was attributed to their constitutions having been some- 
what weakened by this childbearing, lactation, and the extra labours 
and fatigues attending the rearing of their children. 
2. On the Physiological Action of the Calabar Bean ( Pliy - 
sostigma venenosum , Balf.) By Thomas R. Fraser, M.D. 
Although many able observers have, within the last few years, 
investigated the physiological action of the Calabar bean, a singular 
amount of discordance has characterised the results arrived at. An 
intention, in the first place, of adding proofs in confirmation of the 
views advanced in an investigation published in 1862, has induced 
the author to reconsider the subject. The result has been that the 
actions of this substance have been found to be much more compli- 
cated than was at first supposed, and this may be understood when 
it is stated that it acts on the spinal cord and on the motor nerves, 
and also on the sympathetic system, and that, in this manner, it 
directly influences nearly all the vital functions. It is not pro- 
posed, at this time, to examine what must be regarded as the most 
curious action of- Physostigma, that, namely, on the pupil, which 
results from its topical application to the eyeball or to the mucous 
membranes which are anatomically connected with it. The theories 
of this action, though some of them have been advanced by men 
of such eminence as Donders, Graefe, Rosenthal and Bowman, are 
extremely unsatisfactory. It is hoped that a distinct conception 
of the general physiological effects will suggest a correct explana- 
tion of the myositic action, and there can be no doubt it will assist 
in arriving at this conclusion. 
In the following experiments, an extract prepared by acting on 
the finely pulverised kernel with boiling alcohol has been used. 
This preparation contains a considerable proportion of fatty matter, 
which prevents its perfect solution in water ; and, as the division 
into separate doses of a mere watery suspension would lead to many 
inaccuracies, it was found necessary to weigh the requisite quantity 
