308     ENNOMOS  SUBSIGNARIA,  OR  THE  MEASURING  WORM. 
tion  of  heat,  thus  proving  its  volatile  character.  It  retains  the 
narcotic  odor  of  the  worms,  is  amber  colored,  and  also  possesses 
an  extremely  bitter  taste.  It  is  very  soluble  in  alcohol,  and  is 
of  less  density  than  water.  It  turns  white  and  cloudy  on  the 
addition  of  nitric,  hydrochloric  or  acetic  acids ;  no  precipitate 
with  a  solution  of  bichloride  of  platinum,  ammonia,  or  sulphuric 
acid.  Iodo-hydrargyrate  of  potassium  produces  a  yellowish- 
white  color. 
The  fixed  oil  may  be  separated  by  distilling  the  volatile  oil 
with  which  it  is  impregnated ;  when  cold  it  is  semi-solid,  and  of 
a  yellowish  color.  It  leaves  a  stain  on  paper,  not  effaceable  by 
ordinary  heat. 
The  green  coloring  matter  is  most  probably  the  same  as  that 
contained  in  the  leaves  of  the  tree  upon  which  they  feed, — chlo- 
rophyl. 
The  black  coloring  matter  produces  a  stain  when  the  worm  is 
crushed  beneath  the  feet,  but  it  is  entirely  lost  by  age.  There 
is  a  great  deal  of  matter  not  soluble  in  the  above-named  men- 
strua, as  the  head,  legs,  epidermis,  &c. 
Medical  Properties,  Uses,  and  Doses. — JEnnomos  subsignaria, 
in  any  of  the  above  forms,  acts  as  an  emetic  in  large  doses ;  in 
much  smaller  ones  as  a  slight  narcotic,  diuretic,  and  antispasmo- 
dic. The  dose  of  the  powder  as  an  emetic  is  from  ten  grains  to 
a  half-drachm.  In  doses  of  from  two  to  eight  grains,  two  or 
three  times  daily,  as  a  narcotic  and  diuretic.  The  dose  of  the 
oil  is  from  two  to  five  drops,  to  which  it  owes  its  emetic  proper- 
ties. The  taste  is  retained  in  the  mouth  a  considerable  time 
after  taking.  The  crystalline  principle,  which  is  tasteless,  may 
be  taken  to  the  amount  of  one  or  two  grains. 
This  agent  might  prove  useful  in  diseases  of  the  urinary  or- 
gans, or  derangement  of  the  nervous  system. 
There  are  many  tribes  of  the  order  Lepidoptera  which  are  very 
poisonous,  even  to  the  touch,  but  this  particular  tribe  Geometra 
seems  to  contain  none  of  these  properties.  They  are  eaten  by 
our  common  fowl,  Phasianus  gallus,  to  a  great  extent,  and  seem 
to  produce  no  evident  effect. 
