268 
DISEASED LUNGS OE A HORSE. 
be allowed to evaporate spontaneously, a small quantity of 
white crystals are obtained, which, so far as one can judge 
from their physical properties, are ricinine. 
Neither ricinine nor the resinoid body which falls when the 
alcoholic solution of the aqueous extract of the seeds is 
allowed to cool, is the purgative principle of castor oil or of 
the seeds from which it is expressed, for I administered two 
grains of each of these educts to a rabbit more than a month 
ago, and the animal has not evinced the slightest inconvenience, 
temporary or otherwise. The true active principles of offici¬ 
nal Euphorbiaeice I am still seeking, and the nature of the 
results which I have already obtained, induce me to indulge 
in the hope that before long I shall be enabled to publish 
an account of them. I may be permitted to conclude this 
imperfect account of ricinine by stating that I have obtained 
a similar if not identical body from croton seeds, and, so far 
as I have yet discovered, differing in several important 
characters from those described as belonging to cascarilline, 
an alkaloid discovered by Braudes in the bark of Croton 
eleuteria or Croton cascarilla } both plants belonging to the 
nat. ord. Euphorbiacese. 
UNUSUAL CASE OF DISEASED LUNGS OF A 
HOUSE. 
By G. South, M.R.C.V.S., London. 
I have much pleasure in forwarding the particulars of the 
case of a black horse, the lungs of which I sent to you on 
the 11th February last. 
From inquiry, it would seem that the horse was a good 
worker, but about a month previous to his being placed 
under my charge he appeared to breathe a little heavily in his 
work, was off his feed, and had a slight discharge from the 
nostrils, with a cough. 
I first saw the animal on the 6th of January, and found 
him in good condition, pulse 48, ears cold, loss of appetite, 
respiration unnaturally quick, especially under excitement, a 
powerful cough, and a discharge from the nostrils. So far 
as I was then able to judge, he appeared to be suffering from 
catarrh; I therefore ordered him to be placed in a loose box, 
the throat stimulated, and mild saline draughts, combined 
with diffusible stimulants, to be administered twice a day until 
the 11th, when I found the pulse 60, small, and difficult of 
