178 
PHARMACEUTICAL  NOTES. 
the  bean  itself  given  in  powder  is  very  uncertain  in  its  action.  That  in 
cases  where  digestion  was  imperfectly  performed,  or  the  bowels  were 
actively  purged,  or  in  cases  where  vomiting  occurred,  the  poison  showed 
the  least  effect.  It  is  my  opinion  that  the  active  principle  is  in  such 
small  quantities,  and  intermingled  with  such  a  quantity  of  starch  and 
other  inert  matter,  that  unless  the  digestion  be  good,  perfect,  and  ab- 
sorption rapid,  its  fatal  effects  are  seldom  manifested,  for  in  all  cases 
where  I  used  the  active  principle  in  concentrated  form,  extract  or  hydro- 
chlorate  of  physostigmia,  the  experiments  uniforraally  showed  the 
poisonous  action.  From  a  number  of  experiments,  made  with  both  the 
alcoholic  extract  and  hydrochlorate  of  physostigmia  dissolved  in  gly- 
cerine, on  dogs,  cats,  birds  and  rabbits,  I  find  applications  directly  to  the 
eye  will  produce  a  contraction  that  is  marked  and  continuous  for  longer 
or  shorter  time,  according  to  the  susceptibility  of  the  eye.  Its  applica- 
tion to  the  eye  seems  to  be  attended  with  some  irritation,  whether  it  be 
used  in  a  watery  solution  or  in  glycerin." 
Oabig  Bark. — Among  the  many  drugs  of  doubtful  deriva- 
tion that  are  sometimes  offered  in  this  market,  is  a  yellow  bark, 
stated  to  be  of  Japanese  origin  by  the  irregular  broker  who 
offered  it  to  our  friend,  Geo.  C.  Close,  Esq.  An  examination 
proved  the  yellow  color  to  be  due  to  a  large  percentage  of  ber- 
berina,  while  there  is  also  present  a  colorless  alkaloid,  and  a 
higher  and  a  lower  saponaceous  glucoside.  The  size  of  the  pieces 
offered  for  inspection,  some  of  them  several  feet  in  length  and 
breadth,  suggested  this  to  be  the  bark  of  a  plant  belonging  to 
the  only  family,  probably,  possessing  trees  of  a  corresponding 
size, — that  of  the  Anonaceae, — and  recalled,  that  a  bark  identi- 
cal, from  the  description  of  its  outer  and  chemical  properties,  was 
described  by  Dr.  Stenhouse,  (Pharm.  Journ.,  xiv.  p.  455,)  and 
by  Dr.  Daniell,  (Ibidem,  xvi.  p.  398,)  referred  to  Unona  (Ccelo- 
cline  t)  polycarpa^  DC.,r— a  tree  indigenous  to  Sierra  Leone  and 
Soudan,  and  known  in  England  as  Abeocouta  Bark.  Various 
accounts  are  given  of  its  medicinal  properties,  it  being  a  remedy 
of  great  repute  in  the  treatment  of  indolent  ulcers  and  chronic 
leprous  sores  of  the  extremities,  characteristic  of  the  tropics,  as 
an  external  application,  in  the  form  of  a  coarse  powder  or  decoc- 
tion. Very  extensive  use  is  also  made  of  it  on  account  of  its 
dyeing  qualities ;  and  the  same  bark  is  supposed  to  have  been 
introduced  for  such  purposes  in  England  as  early  as  1787.  From 
the  description  of  Stenhouse  and  Daniell,  little  doubt  is  left  on 
