MISCELLANY. 
GymneiYia Sylvestre, an Indian plant^ ivhwh, when chewed^ destroys the 
power of tasting Sugar.— At a meeting of the Linnsean Society, on 
Tuesday, December 7th, Dr. Falconer made a communication which 
he had received from Captain Edge worth, who was located in the 
rlorthern part of India. Captain Edgeworth, an acute observer, and 
one who is actively engaged in prosecuting the study of botany, 
hearing from the natives that a plant grew in that neighbourhood, 
\Vhich, if chewed, would destroy the power of the tongue to appre- 
ciate the taste of sugar, and all saccharine substances, at first thought 
this an extremely problematical and fanciful statement; but knowing 
the natives of India to be remarkable for their powers of observation, 
there being scarcely a plant in the country to which tliey did not 
attribute some property, fanciful, but more generally real, he was de- 
termined to try the effect of the plant in question. The name of the 
plant is Gymnema sylvcstre : nat. ord. Jsdepiadece, a native of the plains 
in the north of India. It has a greenish flow^er, and thick fleshy 
leaves, and like most of the plants of this order, it pro<luces a milky 
juice. Captain Edgeworth chewed some of the leaves, and was sur- 
prised at not perceiving the acrid taste" of the plants of this order ; but 
about two hours afterwards, when taking some tea, he was greatly 
surprised to find that although he could fully appreciate the aroma of 
the tea, he was perfectly unable to appreciate the taste of the sugar. 
Thinking this to be a very strange circumstance, he obtained some 
preserves and other substances containing sugar, and upon putting 
them upon the tongue, he found he was still unable to appreciate the 
saccharine quality ; he then obtained some powdered sugar, and it 
appeared only like so much sand in his mouth. This effect lasted 
altogether nearly twenty-four hoiirs, when he recovered the powder of 
tasting sugar. To avoid all chance of error, Mrs. Edgeworth after- 
wards tried the effect of the plant, and with precisely the same result. 
Dr. Falconer considered this effect to be an extremely curious one, 
and he believed that it was the only well authenticated case upon 
record of such an effect being produced upon the organ of taste^ that 
ahhough it was well known that many substances have the power of 
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