Nitrate o / Delphine, when evaporated to dryness, is a yellow crystalline mass. If treated with excess 
of nitric acid, it becomes converted into a yellow matter, little soluble in water, but soluble in boiling 
alcohol. This solution is bitter, is not precipitated by potash, ammonia, or lime-water, and appears to con- 
tain no nitric acid, though itself is not alkaline. It is not destroyed by further quantities of acid, nor does 
it form oxalic acid. Strychnine and morphia take a red colour from nitric acid, but delphine never. 
The acetate of Delphine does not crystallize, but forms a transparent hard mass, bitter and acrid, and 
readily decomposed by cold sulphuric acid. The oxalate forms small white plates, resembling in taste the 
preceding salts. 
Delphine calcined with oxide or copper gives no other gas than carbonic acid. It exists in the seeds 
of the stavesacre, in combination with melic acid, and in company with the following principles ; — 1 . A 
brown bitter principle, precipitable by acetate of lead. 2. Volatile oil. 3 . Fixed oil. 4 . Albumen. 5 . 
Animalized matter. 6. Mucus. 7- Saccharine mucus. 8. Yellow bitter principle, not precipitable by the 
acetate of lead. 9 . Mineral salts . — Annates de Chim. xii. p. 358 . 
Poisonous Effects. — Hillefield, as recorded in Orfila, gave some infusion of stavesacre to dogs, and 
the animals died, after having had vomitings, involuntary dejections, and general trembling, accompanied by 
great debility. Orfila also gave the powdered seeds to dogs, which are stated to have died from their effects; 
but it appears that the operation of tying the oesophagus, would of itself be liable to produce all the symp- 
toms that were observed. From its effects when applied to wounds that were made in the thighs of dogs, 
Orfila infers that stavesacre is not absorbed, and that it produces local irritation, and sympathetic lesion of 
the nervous system. 
Medical, Properties and Uses. — Stavesacre seeds produce vomiting, drastic purgation, and in- 
flammation; and are never administered internally. Formerly they were used as a masticatory for tooth-ache ; 
but they are too acrid to be recommended even for this purpose. Externally applied they are said to be 
efficacious in scabies, and fungous ulcerations ; but their chief and most valuable virtue is that of destroying 
pediculo in the head, when mixed and used with hair-powder. 
Delphine has not been employed as a medicine, nor are its effects on the animal economy known. 
In one of those romantic spots usually denominated "Hollow ways,” which diversify the mild scenery 
of the lower part of Dorsetshire, a Greek inscription was recently observed, written by some stranger on a 
rock. It was this : — 
“Time passes rapidly away.” 
Underneath another hand had left the following: — 
“Then improve it.” 
I was one evening (says the Author of “ The Wonders of the Vegetable Kingdom ”•) walking with a friend, 
who pointed out the rock and its inscription. Casual incidents sometimes make a powerful impression on 
the mind ; whilst important ones of every day’s occurrence are little heeded. Nature has also inscribed on 
her works, that time passes rapidly away : and she teaches by her various operations that we should con- 
tinually improve the portion which is assigned us. Let us then, my friend, listen to her instructions, and in 
the words of Dr. Watts, “ Learn something from every thing which we see and hear.” Let us extract some 
intellectual improvements from “ the mineral and metals, from the wonders of nature, among the vegetables 
and herbs, trees and flowers.” If these excellent and practical regulations were properly attended to, the 
most careless hours would turn to a happy account both here and hereafter. We should continually bring 
home treasures of useful knowledge; and, by habituating ourselves to an attentive consideration of the glorious 
order of nature, we should improve in wisdom and virtue, and be more prepared to enter on that state of 
exalted happiness where a consideration of the wonders of creation, as well as adoration of their Almighty 
Author, will probably form no inconsiderable portion of the felicity of the blessed. 
