April i, 1892.] 
THE TROPICAL AORICULTURI»T, 
779 
the Indian army aa a aubatitute for quinine. Dr. 
O'Shaughneasy discovered that the bark which waa 
being used, instead of the harmless Bohun bark, 
waa the bark of the Nux Vomica tree, and that 
the alkaloid which was being extraoted waa hjxicia. 
There oan be little room for doubt that tho 
leaves of tho Nux Vomica tree are poiaonoua. The 
parasite (VUcum monoicimi) growing on tho tree 
is also poisonous. The analysis given in the extract 
from Dr. O'Shaughnessy’s book shows the prercnco 
of both strychnine and brooine in tho leaves of 
visoum. Dr. Waring in the ‘'Pharmacopoeia of 
India" (page 108) states that in a communication 
to him Sir W. O’Shaughneasy had mentioned a 
case of poisoning from visoum. The occurrence 
took place when I was a student in the college. 
Dr. O’Shaughnessy was trying to bring viscum into 
use as safer than Nux Vomica. A robust Euro- 
pean sailor under treatment in the surgical wards, 
had by mistake half a drachm of the powdered 
visoum leaves administered to him instead of enbebs 
The poor man died from violent convulaions in 
lesB than an hrur. Dr. Anthonifz, who was my 
fellow student, will remember the cocurrenoe, the 
excitement and the oororer's ir quest rn the occa- 
sion. — Your obedient sirvant, 
JAMES LOOS, ji D., 
Botirtd Colonial Surged^. 
P. S.— Since writing the above, I have read in 
your issue of the 20th inst. the letter of your 
correspondent ‘‘T." Ho writes i.bly, end I have 
no doubt ia an exptrt. Parasites on the nux 
vomica tree may not be always poisonous, but 
from what I have state d it will, ! think, bo evident 
that "the pararilio guest in imbibing poisonous 
ju:oe from its host has not always power to cli- 
minato tho poisonous principles." 
(Extracts referred to.) 
This family (Loranthaciir) consists of parasites, 
wliich are not only siiaiaincd upon, lint take root in 
the suhstance of other trees. Tlic chief genera are 
viscum and lorauthns, tlie former well-known as tlie 
mistletoe of the druids. 
No medicinal properties of any importance had lieen 
observed in tlieso plants until we accidentally discover- 
ed, in 183K, that tno viscum found on tlie nuxvomica 
trees of Cuttack possessed all tho properties of tho 
supporting tree. As we believe the occurrence has 
attracted some attention, and is of considerable in- 
terest tin liotaiiical physiology, we deem it necessary 
to stao the partionlars in detail. 
In 1837, Lieut. Kittoe, then with his regiment at 
Cuttacik, received information of tlie existence of a 
parasite on the nuxvomica trees, to which extraordin- 
ary medicinal powers were attributed by the natives. 
They call it kuchila ke mutung^ held it to be an ex- 
tremely powerful narcotic, and poisonous in small 
doses, and they used it in the treatment of agues 
a.nd rheumatism . Mr. Kittoe having procured speci- 
mens of the leaves sent them to the editor for ox- 
poriinent. 
(liven in three grain doses to dogs and kids tetanic 
spasms set in, in tho course of from five minutes to 
a quarter of im hour, recurring at intervals, and 
proving fatiu by fixing the diapliriigm, aud causing 
asphyxia. Tho convulsive movements were precisely 
the same as those occasioned by strychnine, lirucine, 
and the nuxvomica seeds or hark. On analysis tlie 
powdered leaves yielded — 
Green colouring matter and fibre (H 
Wax .. . . 1 
Strychnine . . . . 1 
lirucine . . . . 3 
Extract . . . . 18 
Saline matter and llesin . . lu 
1(K) 
Specimens of tho leaves wore referred to Dr. 
Wallicli, who supposes them to belong to tho visevm 
’"imoicvm ; hut no fruit or fiowers having been 
obtained this point is not yet clearly ascertained, 
Mr, Kittoe subsequently favoured us with a branoli 
of the nuxvomica tree in which the parasite was 
firmly rooted, tiut as neither fruit nop flowors wore 
present the difficulty in identifying tlie species was 
not removed. 
The powder of tlie dry leaf has been used with 
complete success as a substitute for stryohuino aud 
hrucino in tho hospital of the Medical College, by 
Dr. Duucuii Stewiirt, aud by several other practi- 
tioners. The dose is one to three grams tlirice daily. 
Tlie precautions observed in using stryclmiue and 
nnxvomica are equally necessary with tliis remedy; 
it should be remitted as soon as tingling or spasmodio 
contractions are observed. 
The nscum album, or white mistletoe, is generally 
supposed to be the parasite which held such an im- 
f ortant part in the superstitious ceremonies of the 
Irnids. It yields no medicinal product, but the 
berries are used for the manufacture of a kind of 
glue, of little importance even in the arts . — The 
Jiinijal Dispensatory pp. SrS, S/S. 
Tills balk (bark of strychnos nuxvomica) is known 
to tlie European druggists under the name of the 
fal.ie angustura. Its nature was long suspected, but 
first clearly ascertained by the editor of this work, 
(see tho Journal of the Medical and Physical Society 
of Calcutta, Jan, 18.37.) The same hark ia commonly 
sold ill Calcutta, under the name of " Ilohun,” and 
substituted for the harmless bark of tho sogmida 
fehriftiga.—Tke Bengal Ilispensatoryp. 437. 
IN “Ta^maniaT 
Derby, Tasmania, Fob. 25th. 
Deab Sib,— Some time ago I took the liberty of 
pointing cut to the Tea Plantera' Association of 
Cle>lon the wisdom of establiabing a direct tea 
trade with the Australian colonies, but received 
in reply a memo, from their Secretary at Kandy, 
stating that my proposal had been submitted to 
the Directorate, but they regretted their iuBbilily 
to entertain my proposals. Although in proposing 
a direct eetablisbment cl trade with the Australian 
colonies I, to a great extent, was an interested 
party, in that I offered myself as a candidate 
for the appointment as representative. Still I think 
that my propocal alionld have met with more 
consideration than the amount bestowed upon it, 
for these reasons; — 
First, that the colonials are great tea drinkers 
The amount of tea consumed in the oolonies is simply 
Bslounding, rendered still more so by the faot that 
the tea used is of the poorest quality. During the 
month of December last the amount of tea impor- 
ted into this colony alone reached a total of 
46,f01 lb ; valued at £2,S'J6 cost; the retail price 
would bo at least 15 per cent more. The amount 
received and bonded in &ddition to the amount 
remaining in bond from December 1891 was 
4.3,17.3 lb for Launceston alone; that for Hobart 
waa 100.1.35 !b. This is independent of the lesser 
porta, of which there are some i dozen. Theee facts 
speak for themselves. The total amount of tea ira- 
porifd into (ho colony of Tasmania for tho months 
of December 1891 and January 1893 reached a total 
of 64,(-.331b., and if this enormous consumption of tea 
does not efter sufficient inducement for the eslab- 
lisbing of a direct trade with the oolonies by an 
Association, whose very name and standing 
is a sufficient guarantee for the quality of their 
tea, I am at a lose to know what will. 
I can positively state that the sale of tea such 
as produced in Ceylon would be both considerable 
and easy. Quantities of tea, bearing the brand 
" Ceylon Tea" are being continually offered in colo- 
nial markets ; and so anxious are consumers for tea 
of good quality that the name of Ceylon tea at 
once guarantees its sale. Colonial teas, as a rule 
are those of the most inferior kind. I trust that 
you will find space in your valuable publication 
for tho insertion of tliis letter, as by so doing 
