396  Alkaloids  of  Gelsemium  Sempervirens.  {AmAug.jF9h3arm' 
stigma.  The  fruit  is  baccate,  oval  like  the  fruit  of  Quercus  Ballota. 
but  striated  from  base  to  apex  ;  it  remains  attached  to  the  persist- 
ent calyx  and  receptacle.  The  seed  is  oily,  and  has  a  burning  taste 
like  capsicum. 
The  balsam  is  obtained  by  making  a  horizontal  incision  into  the 
trunk,  the  lower  part  of  the  incision  being  made  concave  so  as  to 
retain  the  balsam  that  drains  into  it.  The  upper  part  of  the  incision 
is  made  so  as  to  prevent  moisture  entering  in  case  of  rain,  and  the 
incisions  are  usually  made  on  the  sunny  side  of  the  tree.  The 
balsam  has  an  aromatic  odor  ;  in  color  it  varies  according  to  the 
age  of  the  tree,  but  usually  resembles  balsam  of  tolu,  than  which  it 
is  more  fluid.  In  medicine  it  is  used  by  the  natives  as  a  stimulant 
for  catarrhal  complaints,  especially  when  of  a  chronic  character, 
such  as  bronchitis,  laryngitis,  nervous  catarrhal  asthma,  and  also  for 
chronic  inflammation  of  the  genito-urinary  tract,  such  as  catarrh  of 
the  bladder,  leucorrhoea,  and  obstinate  blenorrhagia.  It  is  used  in 
several  preparations  in  the  following  proportions  :  syrup,  30  to  50 
grammes;  pastilles,  2  to  10  grammes;  tincture,  2  to  10  grammes; 
electuary,  1  to  4  grammes.  It  is  also  given  alone  in  doses  of  j£  to 
2  grammes,  and  may  be  administered  in  the  form  of  pills,  cigarettes, 
or  fumigations.  By  the  natives  it  is  employed  in  the  treatment  of 
snake  bites  and  the  stings  of  poisonous  animals,  as  the  ray  and 
scorpion,  and  the  poisonous  arachnid,  known  locally  as  the  "  coya." 
The  balsam  is  usually  applied  externally,  and  given  internally  in  a 
dose  up  to  30  grammes,  according  to  the  severity  of  the  poison. 
In  a  case  of  poisoning  by  the  coya,  in  which  an  insect  had  accident- 
ally been  crushed  on  the  leg,  and  the  poison  absorbed,  the  patient 
lost  consciousness  and  sensibility,  and  had  lockjaw  for  sixty  hours, 
but  an  external  application  of  the  balsam  and  a  dose  of  10  drops 
taken  in  2  grammes  of  alcohol  and  30  grammes  of  water  served  to 
effect  a  cure. 
ON  THE  ALKALOIDS  OF  GELSEMIUM  SEMPERVIRENS. 
By  Arthur  R.  Cushny. 
(Berichte  Deutsch.  Chem.  Gesell.,  1893  p.,  1725.) 
The  author  has  examined  the  alkaloids  found  in  Gelsemium, 
retaining  the  names  proposed  by  Gerrard  and  Thompson,  namely, 
gelsemine,  for  the  alkaloid  yielding  crystalline  salts,  and  gelse- 
minine  for  the  other. 
