When applied to the skin, the C. recta, flammula, and Mauritiana, produce vesication, and might be employed as counter-irritants. Störck employed the C. recta in syphilitic disease. Nearly one hundred species of this genus are known. In structure these plants are remarkable for possessing no petals, but their large coloured calyx serves the office of petals. The style also developes with the fruit, and in many species forms a handsome appendage to the carpels, as it is mostly clothed with long hairs.

The crow-foot, or frog-wort tribe (Ranunculeæ), are known by a little scale on the claw of their leaves called a nectary. The genus Ranunculus possesses generally vesicating properties, though stronger in some species than in others. The Ranunculus sceleratus is the herba sardonica, sardonic herb of the ancients, on account, it is said, of its producing the sardonic grin when taken. It is an excessively acrid plant. Orfila killed dogs by applying an extract of it to wounds in the skin, and Kempf says, he was nearly poisoned by eating a single flower. It may not always be so active as this, but care should be taken in the employment of it. It is an inhabitant of Britain. R. acris and flammula, both common plants in our fields and ditches, possess the same acrid properties. R. thora is very poisonous, having been used by the Swiss hunters for the purpose of envenoming their darts. Some of the Ranunculi have handsome flowers; the R. lingua is the finest British species. R. asiaticus is the common garden ranunculus. It is its tendency to become double, and the great variety of colours it assumes, that makes this flower so popular amongst florists.

The Hellebore tribe (Helleborea) is distinguished in the family by its many seeded capsules. It contains the most active plants of the order, as aconite, larkspur, and hellebore. The name aconite is derived from Aconia, a city in Bithynia, where the ancient aкovтov is said to have grown, but it is not at all certain that the modern aconitum is the same as the ancient plant. On account of its poisonous properties, it is called wolfsbane, and the peculiar form of its flowers has given it the name of monkshood. This genus has a great number of species, all possessing poisonous properties. The species most commonly known is the Aconitum napellus. It has a great tendency to vary, according to the different circumstances in which it may grow; and hence a great number of varieties of this plant have been recorded. Some of them, as is mostly the case, have been elevated to the importance of species. Such are probably A. paniculatum and A. Stoerkianum. The former of these is the plant directed to be used in medicine by the London Pharmacopoeia, but in the making the preparations of the aconite, the varieties of the A. na

pellus are indiscriminately used by the apothecary. The active principle of the aconite is an alkaloid, called aconitia, which is found in combination with aconitic acid. It may be separated by a process similar to that employed for obtaining other proximate vegetable principles. It is very expensive, on account of the small quantity that exists in the plant-the four or five drachms which I hold in my hand, prepared by Mr. Morson of Southampton-row, are worth about £40. There is much spurious aconitia in the market, brought from France, and much less expensive.

Aconite acts especially on the sensitive function of the nervous system. The leaves or root chewed numb the tongue and sides of the mouth: hence it is employed as a topical application in cases of neuralgia. It has a decided influence on the heart's action diminishing its force, and frequency, and may be administered where tartar emetic would not be borne.

The extract and alkaloid are the pharmacopoeial preparations ; the latter is very expensive, and requires, on account of its violence, the greatest caution in its use; the former is very uncertain in its effects. The tincture of the root secures the most uniform results.

In making the extract from the leaves, the best time to gather the plant is before the flowers open, for during the process of the impregnation of the ovules and the maturation of the ovary, the proper juices in the leaves and other parts of the plants are made use of, and they thus become exhausted of their active ingredients.

The Aconitum ferox is a Nepaul plant, and possesses more actively poisonous properties than any of the European species. Another poisonous plant of this tribe is the Hellebore. It had a great reputation amongst the ancients, but has been much less used in modern times. All the species of hellebore possess active properties, that employed by the College of Physicians is the Helleborus officinalis of Sibthorp, the H. orientalis of other authors. This is undoubtedly the ancient Greek species, and is intermediate between the H. niger and H. viridis. It is, however, the H. niger that yields the radix hellebori of commerce. This is said to be frequently mixed with the roots of the H. viridis and fætidus.

Hellebore possesses the acrid caustic properties of the whole order, conjoined with the narcotic property of the aconite, and acts as a drastic purgative.

The genus Delphinium, or larkspur, resemble the two last in possessing active properties. An alkaloid is obtained from the seeds of the Delphinium staphisagria, lousewort, called Delphinia, which has an action on the animal system resembling aconitia.

It has been employed successfully in the same cases as aconitia, and promises to be a good substitute for that more unmanageable medicine. The seeds of the larkspur only are used in medicine, although there are nearly sixty species. It is probable that the others also possess the same active properties. The seeds of the common garden larkspur, Delphinium consolida, are known to be poisonous.

The other genera of this tribe are not so well known. The species of Aquilegia (columbine) are much cultivated in gardens; like the monkshood and larkspur, it is remarkable for the irregularity of its flowers; and its Latin name aquilegia, and English name columbine, are derived from aquila and columba (eagle and pigeon), because their petals bear a resemblance to those birds. The columbine was not only a favourite flower, but a favourite remedy, amongst the ancients. It has now, however, lost its position in medicine. The whole of the species possess the acrid properties of the order.

The anemone tribe (Anemonea) possess but a few genera, and these not used in medicine. The genus Thalictrum (meadow rue) has active properties, and many of its species have been employed as remedies. The roots of Thalictrum flavum are used for dyeing yellow; and when the old doctrine of signs and seals" prevailed, it was administered in jaundice, as its yellowness was supposed to indicate the nature of the diseases for which it was adapted. The genus Anemone abounds with species that are well known, as spring-flowers in our gardens; but they are little used in medicine, although Störck, and other writers, have strongly recommended them. Their properties seem to depend on the possession of the volatile acrid principle that abounds in the whole order.

Orfila on Mineral and Vegetable Poisons, 2 vols. 1818

DONATIONS TO THE MUSEUM.

MR. JOHN SAVORY.-Citrate of Iron-Ammonio-citrate of Iron-Magnetic Citrate of Iron-Sodio-citrate of Iron-Potassio-citrate of IronMagnesio-citrate of Iron-Citrate of Iron and Quina-Citrate of Iron and Zinc-Tartrate of Iron-Ammonio-tartrate of Iron-Potassio-tartrate of Iron-Magnetic Tartrate of Iron.

MR. HORNER.-Cortex Cinchona lancifolia-Cortex Cinchona cordifolia -Cortex Cinchona oblongifolia-Sanguis draconis in lachrymis-Moschus moschiferus (musk sac, with organs of generation)-Radix Ipecacuanhæ -Radix Rhei Chinensis- Radix Jalapa - Radix Jalapa (spurious)Myrrha-Guaiacum in lachrymis-Aloe Barbadensis-Aloe spicata. DR. HOULTON.-Melilotus Cærulea (herba).

MR. JEYNES, Great James Street.-Melilotus Cærulea (fructus).

MR. HUDSON.-Radix Rhei Russici-Radix Sarzæ Jamaicensis-Radix Sarzæ Braziliensis-Radix Sarzæ de Honduras - Radix Sarza de LimâRadix Sarzæ de Valparaiso.

MR. INCE. Styrax (in drum) - Balsamum Tolutanum in cucurbitis parvis-Guaiacum in lachrymis-Oleum Myrrhæ-Cortex Cinchonæ lancifolia-Cortex Cinchona cordifolia-Cortex Cinchonæ oblongifolia-Radix Pareira-brava-Lachrymæ Jobi-Terra Lemnia-Goa Stone - Oriental

Bezoar-Venice Treacle.

MESSRS. PIGEON AND SON.-Balsama, Peruvianum-Tolutanum- Canadensis-Copaiva-Styrax liquidus-Styrax colatus-Styrax calamitaGummi-resina, Asafoetida-Galbani-Sagapeni-Scammonii-Camphor -Elaterium-Grana Paradisi-Cocculus Indicus-Dolichos pruriens (fructus) Corticês, Aurantii-Limonum-Flores Anthemidis (single)-Ditto (double)-Cetaceum-Cera alba-Cera flava-Coccus cacti-CantharidesCastor-Rasura Cornu Cervi-Oleum Ricini (unfiltered)-Ditto (filtered) -Olea, Anisi-Aurantii-Juniperi-Limonum-Origani - Bergamotæ Rosmarini-Sassafras-Mentha piperiti-Mentha pulegii-Mentha vividis

-Fæcula Maranta-Sagus-Tapioca.

Pareira-bravæ

MESSRS. HERRING BROTHERS.-Radices, Senega-Jalapa-Rhei Russici -Rhei Chinensis - Hellebori nigri SerpentariaPyrethri-Gentiana-Krameria-Ipecacuanha-Cortices, Quercus-Granatorum-Mezerei-Simaruba-Ligna, Quassia-Guaiaci-Santali rubriHæmatoxyli-Caules Dulcamara-Fructus, Cubeba - Dauci-FæniculiJuniperi- Piperis nigri-Piperis longi - Pimenta-Semina Lini - Folia Diosma crenatæ Lobelia inflata-Galla-Secale cornutum - Manna -Kino-Pix abietina- Resina Euphorbii- Mastich. - Guaiaci - Gummi resina Galbani-Myrrhæ-Scammonia--Cambogia-Sagapeni-Olibani,

MESSRS. HOWARD.

Acidum Citricum Zinci sulphas-Potassæ tartras-Antimonii potassio-tartras-Soda potassio-tartras - Borax (native) -Camphora cruda—“ Native Camphor”-Hydrargyri bichloridum - Hydrargyri nitrico-oxydum.

DAVY, MACMURDO AND Co.-Cortices Canellæ alba-Cinnamomi-Ulmi -Cinchona lanc.-Cinchonæ cord-Cinchonæ oblong - Cascarilla - Cuspariæ-Semina, Cydonia-Colchici― Stramonii-Staphisagriæ - Fructus, Cardamomi-Coriandri-Cymini-Carui-Capsici - Colocynthidis-Anisi -Anethi-Rhizoma Curcuma-Tormentilla-Acori calami-Veratri — Radices Calumba-Contrayervæ-Althea-Valeriana-Succinum-Benzoinum-Gummi Tragacantha-Acacia-Gummi-resina Cambogia-Ammoniaci Asafoetida-Aloe spicata-Aloe Barbadensis-Abiêtis ResinaCantharides Coccus cacti-Croci stigmata - Caryophillus - Uva Ursi -Pyrola umbellata-Flores Anthemidis - Canabis Indica- CamphoraMoschus (genuine)-Moschus (spurious)-Lactucarium (genuine)—Lactucarium (spurious)-Secale cornutum-Strychnia-Ferri iodidum - Ferri ammonio-tartras - Ferri ammonio-citras - Plumbi iodidum - Argenti oxidum-Hydrargyri protoxidum-Hydrargyri binoxidum-Hydrargyri chloridum-Hydrargyri bichloridum-Acidum Tartaricum.

MR. BELL.-Benzoinum (Europe Head)-Benzoinum (Europe Head, superfine)-Benzoinum (Indian Head)-Benzoinum (seconds)-Benzoinum (inferior or foot)-Acidum Benzoicum (large crystals) - Gummi-resina Cambogia (in reed)-Senna Alexandrina-Cynanchum argel - Fructus

Angelica-Anisi-Carui-Cymini-Coriandri-Anethi-Dauci-Fœniculi -Semina Staphisagrix-Acipenser Sturio (swimming bladder, inflated)— Ichthyocolla (in leaf, staple, and book, machine-cut, and first and second pickings).

MR. SQUIRE.The fresh roots of the following plants, preserved in spirit: Aconitum napellus-Angelica-Daucus carota- - Conium maculatumMalva sylvestris-Lactuca virosa - Leontodon taraxacum Daphne mezerium-Daphne laureola - Hyoscyamus niger - Nicotiana tabacum Datura stramonium-Solanum nigrum - Solanum tuberosum - Solanum dulcamara — Allium porrum-Acorus calamus - Colchicum autumnalis. The following plants, dried: Aconitum napellus-Conium maculatumRuta graveolens-Tussilago farfara - Hyoscyamus niger-Atropa belladonna-Digitalis purpurca. Potasse nitras (large crystals).

MR. MORSON. Part of the stem of the Manna Ash, showing the incisions. Specimens of-Pure iodine-Amygdaline-Salicine-Piperine-Cholesterine-Berberine - Eblanine - Asparagine - Narcotine-NarceineMorphia (crystallized)-Veratria (pure)-Veratria (medicinal)—Aconita (crystallized)-Conia-Brucia-Morphia acetas-Morphia murias-Morphia hydriodas-Strychniæ sulphas-Strychniæ hydriodas-Cinchoniæ sulphas-Brucia sulphas-Acidum succinicum-Acidum Gallicum-Acidum tannicum (pure)-Ferri phosphas-Ferri oxyphosphas-Hydrargyri bicyanidum-Hydrargyri biniodidum (different forms)-Hyposulphite of sodaNux Vomica bark-St. Ignatius's beans-True Crabs' Eyes- Sugar of grapes-Sugar of milk-Sabadilla seeds.

MESSRS. BOWERBANK & SONS, Sun Street. -Spiritus rectificatus purificatus-Corn Spirit Oil.

MR. PEDLER, Fleet Street.-Cinnabaris nativa-Acipenser sturio (inflated swimming bladder).

MR. HUXTABLE, St. John's Street.-Common Salt, in large crystals, from Maldon, Essex.

DR. STEGGALL.-Bismuthum Crystallizatum.

MR. HULSE, Leadenhall Street. - Cortex Eucalipti resiniferæ - Kino (Botany Bay)-Myristica officinalis (fructus et folia).