636 
DR, T. L. BRTJNTON AND MR. W. PYE ON THE ACTION 
Effect on Ciliary Motion. 
The drug appears to have no action on ciliary motion ; for when (Experiment XVII.) 
two preparations of ciliated epithelium were made, the one being placed in ’75 per cent, 
salt solution, and the other in a solution of casca extract, it was found on micro- 
scopic examination that the movements of the cilia ceased in about the same time in 
both specimens. 
Effect on Processes of Oxidation. 
It, however, does appear to exercise an inhibitory action on oxidation processes gene- 
rally. This point w r as investigated in the following manner : — 
Experiment XVIII. — April 20. 
Four thin slices of potato were placed in tw 7 o saucers, and were just covered, the one 
with distilled water, the other with a watery solution of casca. When a drop or 
two of the tincture of guaiacum was added, either to the liquid or to the potato slices, 
the bluing produced was much fainter in the case of the saucer containing the casca than 
in that containing distilled w 7 ater. The results of the experiment on organized and 
unorganized ferments were negative, neither the development of the yeast-plant (Experi- 
ment XIX.) nor the digestion of fibrin by pepsin (Experiment XX.) appearing to be in 
the least degree hindered by the addition of the drug. 
Action on the Digestive System. 
One of the most prominent symptoms of poisoning by casca is the violent vomiting 
which it produces ; and, as has already been noticed, its occasional purgative action is 
used as a test of innocence or guilt. The emetic or purgative action is supposed by 
some to depend on the administration of a pure infusion, or of one containing the drugs 
in suspension, and innocence or guilt are thus supposed to be practically decided by the 
priests, who have it in their power to administer either one or other to the accused. 
In order to test this, an infusion was given to one cat, B (Experiment XXI.), and an 
infusion containing a quantity of powder to another. The latter, however, contrary to 
expectation, recovered, whereas the former died. The experiment, however, was vitiated 
by the fact that the infusion was made from the finely pulverized bark, the only kind 
we had at our disposal at the time, and consequently contained a quantity of it in 
suspension, w r hich would not have been the case if the infusion had been made from a 
coarsely pounded bark. 
In order to ascertain whether the vomiting and purging were due to the local action 
of the drug on the stomach and intestines, or to its action on the nervous system after 
its absorption into the blood, a comparison was made between the effects of the poison 
when introduced into the stomach and when injected under the skin. Our experiments 
show that whereas vomiting was invariably produced by the casca, in whatever manner 
introduced into the system, purging only occurred when the poison was given by the 
