1298 
Indian medicinal plants. 
squill, but that, as it grows larger, it becomes useless. The 
outer coats are always quite inert. It is also possible, as 
suggested by O’Shaughnessy, that the medicinal virtues may 
vary with the season and locality of collection. The officinal 
squill is well-known to be thus affected. On the Spanish coast, 
it has been found quite inert in one locality, while as active as 
usual at the distance of a few miles. A sufficient proof of its 
value, if collected and stored judiciously, is found in the fact 
that, for many years, it has been used as a substitute for the 
officinal squill at the Government Medical Store Depot in 
Bombay. The dried bulb met with in bazars sells at from 1 to 
2 annas per lb. according to quality. (Dymock.) 
r 
“ There are several other species of Ur inea met with in India, and these 
are donbtless used in some cases as inferior grades. The most general 
substitutes or adulterants for the above are Crimim asiaticum and latifolium, 
Dipcadi unicolor, Pancratium triflorum." — Watt's Commercial Products, p. 1049. 
In the Indian Forester for February, 1917, Mr. G. 0. 
Coombs, Extra-deputy Conservator of Forests, writes -- 
The Director of Industries writes to say that there is no starch in the 
bulbs, but that, so far as his investigations have gone, they provide a valu- 
able sizing agent, and he has hopes that the size may be taken up by the 
Cotton Mills. He further states that the bulbs furnish a substitute for 
gum tragacanth, and as such should have a commercial value, and he has 
reason to believe that they may have medicinal value as squills. 
Chemical composition.— The sample dried at 100°C. was examined by 
Dragendorff's method, with the following results 
Petroleum ether extract 
•086 per cent. 
Ether extract 
... -028 „ 
Absolute alcohol extract 
... -162 
Aqueous extract 
... 77-30 „ 
Ash 
... 5-69 
The petroleum ether extract was a greasy white residue and non-crys- 
talline. The ether extract contained no alkaloidal p rinciple ; under the micros- 
cope a few imperfect four-side plates were visible. 
The alcoholic extract from 9 grams of the anhydrous squills injected into 
a cat's stomach caused vomiting in 20 minutes, and the passage of a solid stool 
about an hour after the injection ; no blood in vomit or stool ; the cat was not 
otherwise affected in any way. The aqueous extract consisted chiefly of 
gum. 
The fresh squill in slices distilled with water afforded a distillate posses- 
sing an aromatic odour, but in which no appreciable amount of oil was visible. 
The distillate was agitated with ether ; on spontaneous evaporation of the 
