' 2 
by suffocation in a minute and a half, the heart 
continuing to beat as before. The same quan- 
tity killed small rats with great rapidity. 
On March 3, I commenced experiments with 
the extract obtained by evaporating the watery 
infusion. The extract is of the consistency of 
treacle, and can bo conveniently dropped from 
n ounce vial. 
By evaporating the infusion carefully, minute 
crystals are formed in great plenty. The crys- 
tals are acieular bundles, and are beautifully 
tinted by the polariscope. 
In the infusion is generated a yellow matter, 
which falls to the bottom of the vessel. This 
yellow substance has no poisonous properties. 
The extract also undergoes this change generat- 
ing carbonic acid by fermentation. A yellow depo- 
sit also goes to the bottom. This, as in the case of 
the infusion, contains large compound spherical 
cells, also crystals, which are probably the 
active principle. The poisonous effects are not 
destroyed by fermentation. 
On frogs, a solution of the extract acts 
speedily, if applied to the skin. Increased 
activity of respiration occurs, followed by tor- 
pidity ; during which the frog can be placed in 
curious attitudes, from which he will make no 
efforts to move. The web of the foot can be 
placed under the microscope, to examine 
the circulation of the blood, very con- 
veniently when in this torpid state ; 
the heart continues to beat feebly for many 
hours. Frogs will recover after twenty or 
thirty hours of this condition of inactivity. 
Grasshoppers will come to life again after an 
apparent death of two or three days. 
The warm-blooded animals will not recover 
if respiration be not re-established very shortly 
after the suffocative attack. 
When from a quarter to half a drop of the 
extract diluted with water has been injected 
under the skin of a rat, the following symptoms 
are observed : — In less than one minute, the 
animal becomes very excitable, and jumps and 
starts with the slightest provocation ; it appears 
to hare lost the power of restraining itself. 
Shortly, irregular muscular motions occur, 
passing rapidly into a general convulsion. The 
animal opens its mouth as if longing to breathe, 
but no regular respiratory act follows. Opistho- 
tonos is well marked in some cases. After a few 
seconds of quiet from muscular effort, during 
which the heart may be seen to act powerfully, 
a gasp for breath follows, which is generally a 
sign that the poison will not prove fatal. This 
is succeeded by others, and very shortly rapid 
respiration takes place of a feeble kind. The 
animal now gradually regains consciousness. 
The respirations fall to the normal standard. 
Weakness and torpidity remaining for several 
hours, during which, however, voluntary exer- 
tion takes place with very little stimulus. In 
two instances death took place during this period 
of torpidity. 
The effects of the pituri are — 
1st. Period of preliminary excitement from 
apparent loss of inhibitory power of the cere- 
brum, attended with rapid respiration j in cats 
and dogs, with vomiting, and profuse secretion of 
saliva. In dogs there is retraction of the eye- 
ball. 
2nd. Irregular muscular action, followed by 
general convulsion. 
3rd. Paralysis of respiratory function of me- 
dulla. 
4th, Death or 
5th. Sighing inspirations at long intervals. 
6th. Rapid respiration and returning con- 
sciousness. 
7th. formal respiration and general torpidity 
not unattended with danger to life. 
The poison, given by the mouth, acts with 
less vigor j injected into the intestines the results 
are more certain. The animal has a longer 
stage of excitement, the convulsive fit is not so 
severe, and recovery is more certain. Torpidity 
remains for some hours. 
A quarter of a drop injected under the skin 
of a rat, causes excitement, the animal starts 
with slight noises, may fall over a few times 
from very strong muscular irregularities ; re- 
mains excitable for some time, then gradually 
becomes torpid. 
In small medicinal doses we may expect to 
find the period of excitement and the torpidity 
to be the only marked symptoms. In cats and 
dogs the excitement is not marked, but vomiting 
of a violent kind occurs. 
Mr. Moffatt, chemist, of Brisbane, has a small 
quantity of the pituri. The distance of the 
neighborhood from which it was obtained causes 
me to hope that before long seeds of the plant 
may be collected, and some exact botanical 
knowledge of it, and the localities in which it 
grows, may be forthcoming. 
Printed at the COURIER General Machine Printing Office, George-street, Brisbane. 
