60 
ON MYROXYLON TOLTIIFERUM. 
The absorption of aconitia by the intestinal canal is more rapid than is that of curara 
and strychnia by the same tissue, and this explains the rapidity of the death of animals 
to which even small doses of aconitia have been given. 
Aconitia acts on the nervous centres, and successively on the bulb, the spinal marrow, 
and the brain. 
The symptoms manifest themselves in the following order:—suspension of respiration, 
of general sensibility, of reflex sensibility, and of voluntary movements. 
Aconitia disturbs the functions of the heart by acting on its nervous tissues. 
The effects of aconitia on men are the following :—irritation of the mucous membranes, 
salivation, nausea, muscular weakness, prickling, sweats, heaviness of the head, pain in 
the track of the facial nerves, dilatations of the pupils, slow respiration, depression of the 
pulse, and weakness of sensibility. 
Aconitia is a powerful sedative; in external forms it has been applied with success 
in calming neuralgic and rheumatic pain, internally it may be given from -y^th to yLnd 
of a grain, the maximum dose. 
In conclusion, M. Hottot cautions physicians and pharmaceutists in relation to the 
wiable nature or power of commercial aconitia as made by different processes.— Amer. 
Journ. Pharm. from Journal de Pharmacie , Aprils 1864. 
ON MYROXYLON TO WIFE RUM, AND THE MODE OF PROCURING THE 
BALSAM OF TOLU. 
BY JOHN WEIK. 
Extracted from the Proceedings of the Royal Horticultural Society for May , 1SG4. 
[Previous to his departure for New Granada, Mr. Weir received instructions to make 
inquiries respecting certain interesting medicinal plants growing in that country, especially 
the Balsam of Tolu tree and Sarsaparilla , and to obtain, if possible, seeds and speci¬ 
mens. In accordance with these instructions, Mr. Weir has communicated the following 
interesting notice of his proceedings.] 
From inquiries made during the voyage out, and immediately on landing in this 
country, I learnt that a good deal of the Balsam of Tolu was brought down the river 
Magdalena annually to Barranquilla, whence it is exported to Europe. I therefore thought 
that the best way of reaching the country where the tree grows, was to go up the 
river to one of the ports I was informed the drug came from, where I hoped to be able 
to procure specimens and collect the desired information concerning it. At all events, I 
was told that by going to one of the ports on the lower Magdalena, I could cross the 
country to the valley of the Zinu quite as easily as I could reach the mouth of that 
river from Cartagena by sea. 
Following up this plan, I took a passage to Mompox by the first steamer up the 
river after my arrival at Barranquilla. On arriving at Mompox, I found that no balsam 
was gathered there (although I had been assured to the contrary in Barranquilla), and 
that the people generally did not know the tree; a negro was recommended to me, how¬ 
ever, as having a wonderful knowledge of all kinds of “ hervas y remedios ,” and who said 
he knew where some of the balsam-trees grew. With this man I started in a canoe for 
a place called Espino, about three leagues distant from Mompox, and situated on the 
margin of one of the large swamps called “ ceinigas ,” so common on the lower part of the 
river. 
Ou reaching this place we entered the forest; and after having toiled through it for 
a couple of hours, during which I was gradually losing faith in the probity of my 
guide, he suddenly pointed out a tree which he assured me was the balsam-tree. This 
confirmed the opinion I had been forming—that he knew nothing about it, for the tree 
was certainly not a Myroxylon , nor anything like one. 
I returned to Mompox in disgust. The gentleman who recommended the black was 
much disappointed on learning the result of our excursion, but said he had found another 
man, who would undertake to guide me to a place where the tree was to be found. I 
went with him a few days afterwards, but with no better success. 
I have no doubt that the tree occurs within perhaps a day’s journey of Mompox, but 
not in its immediate vicinity; for the ground, for leagues around that place, is low and 
