''"'DeTisso''"'}  Pharmacognostkal  Notes.  607 
and  proved  that  they  are  free  from  the  alkaloid  named. — Pharm.  Cen- 
tralhalle^  1878,  p.  369. 
1  onga  is  a  new  remedy,  introduced  from  the  Fijee  Islands,  and  con- 
sists of  a  mixture  of  bark,  leaves  and  fibres,  vs^hich,  according  to 
Holmes,  are  probably  derived  from  Raphisdophora  vitiensis.  The 
remedy  is  recommended  against  neuralgia,  and  is  said  to  contain  a  vol- 
atile alkaloid,  Tongina.  A  brown  liquid  extract  of  the  drug  has  bt-en 
made  in  London. —  Handelsbericht  von  Gehe  &  Co.,  September. 
Variable  Activity  of  Digitalis. — VV.  Mayer  states  that  Niemeyer  found 
the  leaves  of  digitalis,  grown  in  the  black  forest,  to  be  far  more  active 
than  those  of  plants  growing  in  Northern  Germany.  The  leaves  should 
be  collected  during  the  period  of  flowering,  and  only  the  long-petiolate 
radical  and  lower  stem-leaves  should  be  used,  but  not  those  from  the 
middle  or  upper  part  of  the  stem,  which  are  nearly  sessile.  A  similar 
observation  has  been  made  by  Reusch,  who  found  digitalis  from  moun- 
tainous localities  much  more  active  than  that  grown  in  plains. — Pharm. 
Zeitung. 
A  Poisonous  Star  Anise. — Illicium  religiosum,  Siehold^  is  regarded  by 
many  botanists  as  a  variety  of  111.  anisatum.  Lour.  The  latter  is  indi- 
genous to  Cochin  China  and  naturalized  in  China,  is  smaller,  about  eight 
feet  high,  has  small^^r  ovate  leaves,  rounded  at  both  ends,  and  flowers 
with  more  than  thirty  stamens.  111.  religiosum  is  indigenous  to  Japan, 
and  the  poisonous  properties  of  its  leaves  and  fruit  were  mentioned 
already  by  Siebold.  The  fruit  has  some  resemblance  to  star  anise,  but 
the  carpels  are  more  woody,  shorter  and  boat-shaped,  have  a  rougher 
surface,  are  pointed  at  the  ends  and  curved  upwards,  and  have  a  cam- 
phoraceous  or  somewhat  laurel  like  odor  and  taste,  not  at  all  resembling 
anise.  The  light-colored,  yellowish  seeds  yield  by  expression  a  fixed 
oil,  which  is  used  for  illuminating  and  lubricating,  is  thickish,  yel- 
low or  greenish -yellow,  of  a  peculiar  odor  and  taste,  contains  in  the 
fresh  state  5  9  per  cent,  of  tree  fatty  acids  and  possesses  poisonous 
properties.  2  grams  of  the  powdered  seeds  produce  vomiting,  and  10 
grams  of  the  oil  cause  in  dogs  violent  irritation  of  the  stomach  and 
intestines.  A  preliminary  examination,  made  by  A.  J.  C.  Geerts, 
revealed  the  absence  of  an  alkaloid. — Ibid,.^  from  Pharm.  JVeekblad 
kola  Nuts — Attention  has  been  recently  directed  by  medical  journals 
to  Kola  nuts,  which,  by  the  natives  of  Africa,  are  asserted  to  promote 
digestion  and  ward  ofi'  inordinate  danger,  to  relieve  thirst,  to  sustain 
physical  strength  anJ  to  give  endurance  under  prolonged  exertions. 
