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]
4 hrs. 15 m. the outer tentacles were much inflected; and after 6 hrs. 30 m. those on two of the leaves were closely inflected and the blade of one; the third leaf was only moderately affected. The leaves remained in the same state during the next day, but after 48 hrs. re-expanded.
Three leaves were now immersed, each in thirty minims of the solution, so that each received 1/16 of a grain, or 4.048 mg. In 6 m. there was some inflection, which steadily increased, so that after 2 hrs. 30 m. all three leaves were closely inflected; the glands were at first somewhat darkened, then rendered pale; and the protoplasm within the cells of the tentacles was partially aggregated. The little masses of protoplasm were examined after 3 hrs., and again after 7 hrs., and on no other occasion have I seen them undergoing such rapid changes of form. After 8 hrs. 30 m. the glands had become quite white; they had not secreted any great quantity of mucus. The leaves were now placed in water, and after 40 hrs. re-expanded, showing that they were not much or at all injured. During their immersion in water the protoplasm within the cells of the tentacles was occasionally examined, and always found in strong movement.
Two leaves were next immersed, each in thirty minims of a much stronger solution, of one part to 109 of water; so that each received 1/4 of a grain, or 16.2 mg; After 1 hr. 45 m. the sub-marginal tentacles were strongly inflected, with the glands somewhat pale; after 3 hrs. 30 m. both leaves had all their tentacles closely inflected and the glands white. Hence the weaker solution, as in so many other cases, induced more rapid inflection than the stronger one; but the glands were sooner rendered white by the latter. After an immersion of 24 hrs. some of the tentacles were examined, and the protoplasm, still of a fine purple colour, was found aggregated into chains of small globular masses. These changed their shapes with remarkable quickness.