narcotic on Drosera, but after having found in what a singular manner
immersion in certain non-poisonous salts and acids prevents the
subsequent action of phosphate of ammonia, whereas other solutions have
no such power, my first conviction seems very doubtful.
Extract of Hyoscyamus. Several leaves were placed, each in thirty
minims of an infusion of 3 grs. of the extract sold by druggists to 1
oz. of water. One of them, after being immersed for 5 hrs. 15 m., was
not inflected, and was then put into a solution (1 gr. to 1 oz.) of
carbonate of ammonia; after 2 hrs. 40 m. it was found considerably
inflected, and the glands much blackened. Four of the leaves, after
being immersed for 2 hrs. 14 m., were placed in 120 minims of a
solution (1 gr. to 20 oz.) of phosphate of ammonia; they had already
become slightly inflected from the hyoscyamus, probably owing to the
presence of some albuminous matter, as formerly explained, but the
inflection immediately increased, and after 1 hr. was strongly
pronounced; so that hyoscyamus does not act as a narcotic or poison.
Poison from the Fang of a Living Adder. Minute drops were placed on the
glands of many tentacles; these were quickly inflected, just as if
saliva had been given them, Next morning, after 17 hrs. 30 m., all were
beginning to re-expand, and they appeared uninjured.
Poison from the Cobra. Dr. Fayrer, well known from his investigations
on the poison of this deadly snake, was so kind as to give me some in a
dried state. It is an albuminous substance, and is believed to replace
the ptyaline of saliva.* A minute drop (about 1/20 of a minim) of a
solution of one part to 437 of water was applied to the secretion round
four glands; so that each received only about 1/38400 of a grain (.0016
mg.). The operation was repeated on four other glands; and in 15 m.
several of the eight tentacles became well inflected, and all of them
in 2 hrs. Next morning, after 24 hrs., they were still inflected, and
the glands of a very pale pink colour. After an additional 24 hrs. they
were nearly re-expanded, and completely so on the succeeding day; but
most of the glands remained almost white.
Half-minims of the same solution were placed on the discs of three
leaves, so that each received 1/960 of a grain (.0675 mg.); in
*Dr. Fayrer, The Thanatophidia of India, 1872, p. 150. [page 207]
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