778 
THE TROPICAL AQRIOULtURIST 
[April i, 1892 . 
5!otitie$pond$no$. 
To the Editor, 
VEGETA ULH! TAltAaiTES. 
Cjlombo, F. b. ID.b. 
Sib, — As you surmised, I was greally interested in 
your extract from the A'. 1. Observer, referring to the 
poisonous nature ol nux vomica leaves and the 
non-poisonous qualities of the parasites growing 
on the tree, lu my communications to your [ apir 
anent parasites, 1 pointed out that lorantlius, 
mistletoe, and such green plants wore partial or 
false parasites. Now the^e do not imbibe the 
elaborated sap consisting of organic substanoes, be 
they glueoses, vegetablo acids, or ulUaloids such 
as brucine or siryohniue, but only absorb the 
ascending sap consisting of Bubslanoes in solution, 
which the frost has derived from the soil. The differ- 
ence between the partial parasite and an ordinary plant 
is, therefore, that while the ordinary plant is fixed 
in the soil the partial parasite is fixed on another 
tree; they both absorb substanoes in solution 
derived from the soil and not yet elaborated into 
organic compounds. The manufacture of the materials 
found in the crude sap into organio compounds is 
done by each green plant for itself, no matter what 
the source of those materials and whether they bo 
derived directly from the soil, or only indirectly 
through the medium ol another tree. Thus it is 
quite possible that while Strychnin nux vomica 
elaborates strychnine and brucino, just as some 
plants elaborate oitrio acid, or tartaric acid, or 
alkaloids such as papaverine, daturiue Ac., I,o- 
ranthus and I- iteum elaborate neither of the 
alkaloid found in their boat. Plants are able 
not only to elaborate specitlc and cbaracteridtic 
compounds, but also to exert what appears to 
be a selective power with regard to the food 
they derive from the soil. No wonder that some 
people who are apt to draw too hasty inferences, 
attribute intelligence to the individuals of the 
vegetable world l—A'ours Ac., T. 
POISONOUS VEGETABLE PABASITES. 
Dbab Sin,— I read with interest an article in your 
issue of the 18th inbt. It wakes past recollections, 
and as the matter is of important, I am indnoid 
to write to you. The article I refer to is “ Nine 
Vomica leaves poisonous while parasites yrowimj on 
the tree are not." I fltsll shortly prove that one 
of the parasites, at least, is poisonous. 
I may premise that only the seeds of Stri/chnos 
mix vomica are used in medicine under the name 
of JVux vomica or Poison nut. The seeds are rarely 
used in the form of powder ; the preparations 
more commonly used being the extract, Tincture 
and the Alkaloid strychnia. Tho poisonous proper, 
ties ol the seeds ate due to throe alkaloids closely 
related— sfrt/cAn in, Brucia and Igasuria ; but the 
most important of thetffi is Strychnia (now named 
Strychnina or Strychnine in the British Pharma- 
oopceia). Nux vomica is a valuable remedy in 
proper doses ; but given in too largo quantities, 
it acts as a powerful poison, speedily causing 
tetanic convulsions and death. 
In my student days in the medical college of 
Calcutta (1888-42), I was clinical clerk to Ur. O’Shau- 
ghnessy, tho author of tho “Bengal Uispensatory 
and Pbarmacopaua." I have an infinitesimsl 
share of credit in the production of the book, 
having helped toi ndex the contents. 
Dr. William Brooke CBlraughnessy (afterwards 
Bit Wm. O’Shaugbnessy Brooke) died at Bouthsva 
only three years ago (January 1889), in his 
eightieth year. He was a learned physician ; but 
was better known as a chemist and an electrician. 
Ur. O'Shaughnessy came out to India as an 
Assistant Surgeon in the Bengal Medical Service 
in 168.S. He was already known to be an able 
oheniiet from contributions to tho Lancet and 
his other writings. On the establishment of the 
Medical College of Calcutta in 183C, he became 
Professor of Chemistry and Materis Medica. In 
1862, he was appointed Superintendent-General 
ol Telegraphs in India, a post which he resigned 
in 18112, when he retired from the Indian Medical 
Striioo. Ho was a fellow of the Boyal Society, 
and was knighted on account of his valuable services 
in establiahing a system of telegraphs throughout 
India and Ceylon. 
When Professor of Matoria Medioa in the Medical 
College and Physioian to the College Hospital, 
Ur. O'Shaughnessy carried on investigations into 
the properties and uses of Indian drugs. The 
work I have mentioned was published chiefly as 
a class book for the students of the Medical 
College and was issued “ by order of Government." 
I have still the old book with mo, and also an 
old ease-book containing reports of oases in which 
Indian drugs were prescribed by Ur. O’Shaugbnessy, 
the effects of which we were to watch and note. 
One Indian remedy at least has, through his 
labours, found a permanent place in the British 
Pharmaoopooia. Indian Hemp {Cannabis Indica) 
was one of the remedies we were frequently 
using. In Squire's Companion to the British 
PharraacopoBis, it is stated — " We ore indebted to 
Dr. 0 Shaugbneesy for the first introduction of 
Indian Hemp into this country. He brought 
over a quantity from India, which the author 
(Squire) converted into extract for him, 
and distributed amongst a large number 
of the profession under Dr. O'Shaughnessy's 
directions. ” 
Dr. Waring's “ Phatmaoopuda ol India," pub 
lished in 18(18 under the authority ol the Govern- 
ment of India, may be cousidered to be an 
enlarged and improved edition ol Ur, O’Sbau- 
ghneesy’a book ; and was also intended to be a 
text book for students in India. I subjoin extracts 
from the " Bengal Dispensatory." Dr. Waring 
stales that the distinctions between the true and 
false Angustura barks were pointed out by Dr. 
O’Shaughnessy in 1837 ; that the bark of tho Nux 
Vomica tree is poisonous and that Professor 
Christison (Sir Itobert Christison) considered it 
might be advantageously substituted for the seed 
in the preparation ol Slryohnino Vusparia or 
Angustura hark obtained from Galipica Cusparia a 
South Amerioan tree, is in the British Pharma- 
copmia; but although the infusion of it is a good 
stimulant and tonic it is, so far as I know rarely 
or never prescribed. Augustura bark came into 
use in England in the latter part of tho last 
century and was imported direotiy or indireotly 
from South America. The bark ol the Strychnot 
Xnx Vomica began to be imported and used as 
Augustura Bark, and owing to the serious oonse- 
quenccB which ensued in the beginning of this 
century from the adulteration the true bark began 
to be but little employed. Dr. O'Shaughnessy 
traced tho origin of the “False Angustura” of 
ooraraerce. Ho also prevented serious oonsequences 
which might have arisen from another source. Be 
ascertained that the Nux Vomica bark was being sold 
at Calcutta for an Indian remedy, the bark of the 
Bohun tree {Soymida febrifuga) astringent, tonic and 
febrifuge. A chemist obtained what he thought to 
be a new alkaloid, allied to quinine from Bohun 
bark ; ami it was being manulactureU lor use iD 
