24 
ON  CYCLAMEN  EUROPIUM. 
The  poisonous  effects  of  Cyclamin,  like  that  of  the  cruari 
poison,  is  neutralized  to  some  extent  by  bromine.  To  prove 
this,  the  following  experiments  have  been  tried  at  the  laboratory 
of  Bernard : 
1.  One  cubic  centimetre  of  the  aqueous  solution  of  Cyclamin, 
placed  under  the  skin  of  a  frog,  caused  death  in  five  minutes. 
2.  A  second  frog  treated  in  the  same  manner,  with  the  only 
difference  of  previously  saturating  the  solution  with  bromine, 
death  only  occurred  after  3i  hours. 
3.  Under  the  skin  of  another  frog  two  c.  c.  of  Cyclamen  juice 
caused  death  in  twenty  minutes. 
4.  From  the  same  quantity  of  juice  saturated  with  bromine, 
death  followed  in  four  hours. 
Cyclamin  resembles  albumen  by  its  coagulating  properties. 
By  its  property  of  being  decomposed  by  alkalies  it  resembles 
mannite,  and  by  the  frothing  of  its  aqueous  solution  when  agitated 
it  appears  analogous  to  saponin.  In  respect  to  its  solubility 
in  water  after  coagulation,  it  may  be  compared  with  some  organic 
salts  of  lime.  In  its  action  upon  the  animal  organism  it  re- 
sembles cruari,  by  producing  its  effects ;  and  lastly,  it  appears, 
from  its  capacity  of  splitting  up,  to  possess  properties  which 
would  place  it  along  with  salicin  and  populin. 
In  Biot's  polarizing  apparatus,  the  aqueous  solution  gives  a 
rotary  tendency  to  the  left,  but  it  is  feeble.  (CompL  Bend.? 
1857,  t.  xliv.,  No.  14,  p.  723.) 
The  Cyclamen  Europseum  or  Arthanita  Cyclamen,  sowbread, 
is  a  tuberous-rooted  plant  of  the  genus  Cyclamen,  order  Primu- 
laceag,  sexual  system  Pentandria  Monogynia.  The  fresh  root 
is  considered  acrid,  drastic,  and  anthelmintic.  It  was  formerly 
made  into  an  ointment,  "  Unguentum  Arthanitae,"  with  other 
substances,  and  employed  as  a  purgative,  being  rubbed  on  the 
abdomen.  The  fresh  root  has  also  been  administered  in  one 
drachm  doses. 
The  wild  swine  of  Italy  subsist  chiefly  upon  the  tubers  of 
the  Cyclamen,  hence  the  name  sowbread  ;  French,  pain  du 
porceau. 
