SPURIOUS ANGUSTURA BARK OF THE GENUS STRYCHNOS. 
289 
this barh, we are far from wishing a similar 
prohibition here, seeing that a preparation 
from it may supply a safer and milder remedy 
than we already possess in genuine strych- 
nine. Although we hear that there are no 
just grounds for supposing that the natives 
have sold nux vomica bark in the bazar 
as the rohun or swietenia febrifuga when 
these articles have been separately required, 
yet it appears to us highly necessary that 
the sellers of drugs should without delay be 
warned of the poisonous nature of the bark* 
The expediency of licensing the venders of 
drugs, which require such nice distinctions 
to discover the genuine from the spurious 
barks, is in our opinion a subject worthy 
the consideration of the legislature. The 
Medical Faculty of Vienna had found that 
dogs and rabbits were not affected by large 
doses of genuine angustura, but were speedi- 
ly killed by small doses of the spurious kind 
given internally. Drs. Rambach, Pfaff, and 
Planche give the following characters, which 
they deemed sufficient to enable persons to 
distinguish the genuine from the poisonous 
angustura. 
Genuine. 
The produce of tlie Bonflandia trifoliata of 
Humboldt, a native of Souili America, 
Size from ^ to | of an inch broad ; 2,3, or 4 inches 
long; half a line thick. Outer snrtace uniform 
greyish while, as if covered witli an uneven mealy 
coat, which is easily removed, and exposes a brown 
surface heneaih. Inner surface greyish-yellow, 
or lii-ht-brown. Texture fine; very brittle. Frac- 
ture even; much darker and browner than the 
inner suiface ; somewhat shining, and evidently 
resinous. 
Smell, aroma\ic ; somewhat nauseous. 
Taste aromatic bitter, hut not at all disgustingly 
hitter, or astringent, succeeded in some d%»iee'by 
an aromatic flavour like mace, " 
Bark, on being chew'ed, becomes dark brown- 
yellow. Powder, when fresh, yellow, like good 
rhubarb, becoming paler by keeping, with a more 
aromatic smell than the bark. 
Concentrated infusion, clear, of a fine reddish 
brown or orange colour, and a bitter, only sli<'htly 
acrid, taste. 
Diluted with water, its colour becomes yellow. 
On the addition of an alkaline caibonate, it is 
changed to darkled, and after some time deposit a 
clear citron yellow, somewhat flocculent, precipitate. 
A solution of iiersiilpliat or permuriat of iron 
imparts to it a higher red colour, and after some 
lime throws down a rose-coloured precipitate. 
Is not rendered turbid by solution of gelatine. 
Saturated decoction of a fine redbrown, on 
cooling becomes turbid, and deposits a deep yellow 
powder. 
Saturated tincture, dark red-brown, hecominiy 
very turbid by the addition of distilled water, and 
depositing a clear yellow resin. 
Spurious. 
Unknown. Said liy some to come from the F.asf 
Indies; and one kind stispected by Planche, but, 
contrary to piohaliilify, to he got fiom a variety of 
the Cmchona magnifolia of Botiplaiid. 
Size generally of greater breadth than length ; two 
lines thick. Outer surface covered with a web 
of distinct small white warts, not easily removed, or 
wiih an uniform rust -coloured lichen-like covering. 
Inner surface, riiriy yellowish white, or grey, or 
most commonly black, without visible fibres, 'l ex- 
ture coaise ; very brittle. Fracture even; partly 
white, or yellowish-wliite, or even clear brow'u- 
ish; not shilling and resinmis, hut more mealy, 
and (laitly exbibiiing iw'o distinct layei s. 
Smell, resembling somewhat that of the genuine 
kind 
Taste, in tlie highest degree disgustingly bitter, 
very duiatile, and not at ail aiomatic, or astringent. 
Bark, on beitig chewed, becomes paler. Powder 
clearer yellow 
Concentrated infusion, not so clear, more of 
a dirty brown colour, and of a most disgustingly 
hitter taste. 
When diluted, it does not become yellow. 
On theaddition ofan alkaline carbonate, it hecomes 
greenish, and deposits a fioicnlent greyish yellow 
precipitate, and the supernatant liquor becomes gra- 
dually dark brown, beginning at the surface. 
A solution of persult)liat or permuiiatof iron 
imparts to it a dark-green colour, and soon throws 
down a copious satin black precitiitate verging 
somewhat to ash grey, which is perfectly re-dissolved 
by niiiic acid, and forms an olive solution. 
Is not rendered tnrhid by solution of gelatine. 
Salinated decoction, brownisli-yellow, and, on 
cooling, deposits a veiy copious grey brown 
precipi late. 
Saturated tincture, much paler; and, on the 
addition of distilled water, only gets a pale-yellow- 
ish opaline appearance, without becoming red, or 
depositing any precipitate. 
We have been favored with the following 
from Dr. Jackson, the Apothecary General, 
on some experiments performed by him. 
“ The first pig got a draclim* dissolved in one 
oz. of distilled water ; so much was lost in giving 
it, that I repeated the same quantity before this 
was well down : he died violently convnlsent. 
The second was punctured in the cellular mem- 
brane in the inside of the thigh: grs. in 2 drs. 
of water were injected, which producing no appa 
rent etTect in 16 minutes, J a drachm dissolved in ^ 
an oz. of water was administeied ; of this ^ was 
lost in swallowing : in about a minute and a half 
convulsive twitches at first confined to ilie ab- 
dominal and muscles about the throat, were perceiv- 
ed, then relaxed, and were succeeded in about two 
niiiinies by a tetanic state of the whole body, 
exhibiting a complete state of ligidity from the 
inoiiih to the tail wliicli was extended like a riding 
switch. This alternaie state of spasm and relaxation 
occurred till the Mill minute, when, as the last 
spasm was off, she expired passing urine at the 
time, 'lire first did not do so having been so 
instantaneously, and having itself emptied its bladder 
it came into the yaid. 
Professor Emmert of Tubingen published 
an account of the poisonous effects of the 
bark of the angustura pseudo -ferruginea, or 
spurious angustura bark owing to its physi- 
cal properties and effects, he refers its bo- 
tanical origin, to the genus Strychnos ; and, 
by comparing what has hitherto been men- 
tioned with the known effects of other poi- 
^The extract^ " 
