7o6 
Action  of  Adonis  Vernalis. 
i  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
(       October,  1920. 
Drug  B. 
Per  cent,  of  alcohol  in  the     Toxicity,  or  the  M.S.  D.  per  gram  of  frog, 
menstruum  used. 
95  0.0055  cc. 
95  0.0045  cc. 
50  0.00315  cc. 
50  0.0043  cc. 
The  average  toxicity  of  Drug  B  is  0.0043  cc. 
From  these  results  the  average  toxicity  of  Drug  A  is  greater 
than  that  of  Drug  B.  A  total  average  for  both  drugs  would  be  about 
0.004  cc.  of  a  tincture.  In  these  assays  the  resistance  of  the  frogs 
was  taken  into  consideration;  each  lot  was  assayed  against  ouabain, 
as  is  ordinarily  done  in  the  assay  of  any  of  the  heart  tonics. 
A  tincture  of  adonis  possessing  a  toxicity  of  0.004  cc.  per  gm.  of 
frog,  was  also  assayed  with  guinea  pigs,  according  to  the  manner 
followed  in  the  twelve  hour  guinea  pig  assay  of  the  heart  tonics.^ 
The  pigs  poisoned  in  this  way,  showed  no  peculiarly  characteristic 
symptoms.  They  stand  or  lie  quietly  until  near  the  very  last,  when 
they  begin  to  struggle,  and  soon  die.    The  assay  is  as  follows : 
Dose  per  Gm. 
Weight  of 
Actual  Dose 
Result  in  12 
of  Pig. 
Pig. 
Given 
0.002  cc. 
300  gms. 
0 . 60  cc. 
—  living 
0.003  cc. 
340 
1 .02  cc. 
0.004  cc. 
425  ]| 
1 . 70  cc. 
0.005  cc. 
330 
1.65  cc. 
0.006  cc. 
370 
2.22  cc. 
+  dead 
0.007  cc. 
415 
2.905  cc. 
0.008 
425 
3.40  cc. 
Since  we  consider  that  a  tincture  of  adonis,  which  assays  0.004  cc. 
by  the  one  hour  frog  method  is  an  average  strength  tincture;  so  we 
conclude  that  0.006  cc.  represents  the  average  minimum  lethal  dose 
of  adonis  for  guinea  pigs. 
THK  IRRITATING  PROPJ^RTIE^S  OF  ADONIS. 
Digitoxin,  a  comparatively  insoluble  constituent  of  digitalis,  is 
extremely  irritating  to  the  mucous  membranes.  Adonis,  on  the 
other  hand,  is  soluble  and  produces  but  little  irritation.  Upon  the 
injection  of  digitalis  into  the  lymph  sac  of  a  frog,  a  certain  amount  of 
hyperaemia  of  the  abdominal  epidermis  is  frequently  noticed,  even 
though  the  alcohol  had  previously  been  most  carefully  removed.  This 
was  never  noticed  in  the  numerous  assays  of  adonis.    Neither  do 
