In February and August, instead of one leaf stalk and flower stalk making their appearance at their respective periods, I have often remarked that two have occurred, one on either side of the parent bulb. I believe this to be one of the effects of cultivation, as I have no where seen it remarked in descriptions of the plant by botanical authors.

Dr. Christison has mentioned that the full size of a Colchicum bulb is that of a small apricot. Where the plant has been cultivated however, Dr. Maclagan, frequently met with them as big as large apples, and on one occasion procured one in October weighing nine and a half ounces. {96}

He thinks that the cormus should be taken for medicinal use about the middle of July, at which time it has attained its greatest size, and is firm, amylaceous and exceedingly bitter. The bitterness is the best criterion of its medicinal activity.

A number of years ago, Dr. A. T. Thomson, proposed the tincture of Guaiacum as a test for the goodness of Colchicum. Ten grains of the bulb were rubbed in a mortar, with sixteen minims of distilled vinegar, and immediately afterwards sixteen minims of the tincture of guaiacum were added. When the bulb was good, a beautiful cerulean color, according to Dr. Thomson, was produced. Having ascertained that several specimens which he knew to be good failed in giving this char­ac­ter­is­tic color, Dr. M. proceeded to investigate the causes on which it depended. He expressed several bulbs and filtered the juice to separate the starch; a beautiful blue color was now immediately produced by the test. The blue liquid was then heated till the albumen was coagulated; the color remained with the coagulum, while the liquid was colorless. On raising the heat to 212° the blue color disappeared. The test produced no change in the starch collected on the filter. When the fluid was boiled previously to the application of the test, no blue color was produced by it either with the filtered fluid or the coagulum. From these experiments Dr. M. concludes, “1st. That albumen is the principle acted on. 2nd. That a heat above 180° destroys this action. 3rd. That the value of the test is to prove that the bulbs have been dried at a temperature not higher than 180°.”

Dr. Maclagan was unable to procure colchicia, the alkaloid announced by Geiger & Hesse, in the crystalline form, though he followed the process they give very exactly, and consequently he doubts its crystalline nature. What he obtained was in the form of a brown resinous looking mass without smell, and of a bitter taste, the bitterness being followed by a slight sense of irritation in the throat but by nothing like the intense acrimony of veratria.

In regard to the physiological action of Colchicum, Dr. M. confirms the statement of previous observers, that it markedly increases the amount of urea in the urine; and contrary to what has been maintained by some, found it likewise to increase the quantity of uric add. In an experiment related in detail, after the colchicum had been employed for six days, the amount of urea in the urine was found to be increased by nearly one half, and the uric acid was more than doubled.

ERRATA IN THE FEBRUARY NUMBER.

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