The chemical investigation of some poisonous plants in the n.o. solanaceæ / by James M. Petrie.

  • Petrie, James M.
Date:
1917
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The chemical investigation of some poisonous plants in the n.o. solanaceæ / by James M. Petrie. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Drs. Ringer and Murrell (23), working with Gerrard’s alkaloid, made careful experiments on its physiological action. They ob- served dilatation of the eye, the action on the skin in arresting perspiration, headache and drowsiness, the antagonism to muscarine, and the production of tetanus in frogs. The authors concluded, from both physiological and chemical evidence, that the alkaloid was not atropine. Paul (24), in 1878, further examined the alkaloid prepared by Gerrard, and confirmed the latter’s results. vii. Petit, of Paris(11), in 1879, identified the alkaloid of pituri as nicotine, and also prepared the alkaloid of D. myopo- roides from an aqueous extract of the /eaves. In a letter to Holmes, which is included in Paul’s paper, Petit pointed out the differences from atropine. In the Lancet for 1879, eight cases of poisoning from the use of duboisia were described by Davidson (25); the symptoms were giddiness and delirium. ‘Tweedie ascribed the cause to impuri- ties, but he afterwards found that his own pure solutions, which he had used with Dr. Ringer, produced the same toxic symptoms. Dr. Norris (26) found the therapeutic action similar to atropine, but more energetic. Ringer (27) also described the action as far more powerful than atropine. vill. Baron von Mueller and Rummel (28), in January, 1879, described their preparation and the properties of ‘ Duboisine,” the alkaloid of D. myoporoides. They state that the alkaloid was prepared like nicotine from the leaves and twigs, that it was a volatile, yellow, oily liquid, lighter than water, having a strong odour of tobacco and cantharides, and probably identical with “piturine” from D. Hopwoodit. The reaction was strongly alkaline. In another paper, dated September, 1879, the above account is confirmed(29). Von Mueller says: ‘“Piturine is in some respects allied to nicotine, but more closely akin to duboisine (of D. myoporordes), the latter being lighter in colour, of bitter, not acrid, taste, and of fainter odour.”
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