PHARMACEUTICAL SOCIETY, EDINBURGH. 
463 
•• This bush deserves notice as a drug, and in all probability will, ere long, become an 
article of colonial export. It grows abundantly in some parts of the eastern districts, 
whence it has found its way into the dispensary. The flowers, which are called Geele 
•Moemetjee, closely resemble saffron in taste and smell; they possess similar medical pro¬ 
perties, and as an antispasmodic anodyne and stimulant ought to rank with the Crocus 
saiivus. Here they have as yet been only used with success in the convulsions of 
children, but they deserve a more general trial. On account of the fine orange colour 
which they impart, they are in daily request among the Mahomedans, who use them for 
the purpose of dyeing their handkerchiefs. This drug has been observed to be some¬ 
times adulterated by the admixture of other plants of the same genus which are less 
efficacious.” 
3. Note on a New Product, called Cubebs, from Southern Africa, by Professor Archer. 
This material has been sent from Cape Coast Castle, under the name of African cubebs. 
It has, however, no relationship to Cubeba officinalis , or any other pepper, but belongs 
to the Natural Order Xanthoxylacece , which is celebrated for the agreeable pungency of 
the fruits of many of its species, especially in the genera Toddalia and Vepris , to one of 
which it undoubtedly belongs. I believe it is the fruit of V. lanceolata (A. Jussieu), the 
Toddalia lanceolata (Lamk.); this plant is pretty widely diffused, for it is found in the 
island of Mauritius, and is also common in the woody districts of various parts of the 
Cape of Good Hope. There is some slight resemblance to cubebs in this drug, but the 
slightest examination shows that it has no affinity with the peppers; its dry dehiscent 
capsule, with the hard bluish-black shining kidney-shaped seeds, and the membranous 
remains of the abortive cells, are distinctive characters wliich are quite sufficient to pre¬ 
vent any mistake. The properties are simply aromatic and stimulant, without any ap¬ 
proach to the special properties w r hich cubebs exercise upon the urinary organs. 
These notes were illustrated by a variety of specimens, which were viewed with much 
interest by the meeting. A portion of the Cape saffron having been immersed in cold 
water parted very readily with its colouring-matter, and there can be little doubt that, 
when better known, it will take the place of the ordinary hay-saffron wherever that 
article is used. From the price being much lowmr that of the best saffron, it cannot fail 
to become an article of commerce in this country.—A vote of thanks, proposed by Mr. 
Young, to Professor Archer for his communications, was carried unanimously. 
Mr. D. E. Brown, as convener of the committee formerly appointed to consider the 
question of poisoning and the means of prevention, read the following report:— 
“Your committee beg to say that they found the subject they were called to de¬ 
cide upon of far more importance and much more difficult than to allow an offhand 
report to pass from them as their deliberate conclusions. The questions raised were nu¬ 
merous ; and their proper answers are important, alike from the bearing they have upon 
the character of the Pharmaceutical Chemist, and upon the welfare of those who place 
confidence in his professional skill. It became your committee, therefore, to see to it as 
carefully as they could, that they neither mistook the questions nor the answers. 
“Towards the proper fulfilment of the duty laid upon them, it appeared to your com¬ 
mittee requisite to classify, in some way, cases of poisoning. So far as your committee 
can see, they all rank themselves under one or other of two heads, either poisoning by 
design or by carelessness; for that called 1 accident ’ is held by your committee to have 
somewhere and always about it more or less of carelessness. 
“Under the first head, 1 Poisoning by Design,’ there is the murderer and the suicide. 
Your committee presume that such cases were not included in your remit, and therefore, 
enter no further on them than to say, they believe that now, as in time past, Pharma¬ 
ceutical Chemists, and Chemists and Druggists, exercise a most careful and most judicious 
caution in the sale of all poisonous substances. 
It is to cases falling under the second head, ‘Poisoning by Carelessness ’ or c Acci¬ 
dent’ so called, your committee have specially directed their attention. Here your 
committee find, comprehending them all,—1st. A mistake as to the substance; 2nd. A 
mistake as to the quantity ; 3. A mistake as to both substance and quantity; 4th, A mis¬ 
take in sending out the preparations, i. e. to the -wrong person. 
“ Although perhaps not needful, yet, as a means whereby the Society may see the 
grounds upon which your committee have come to conclusions, they think it right to 
call the serious attention of the members to what all must know; namely, that the 
source of the errors which they are called upon to prevent lies altogether in the mind of 
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