HISTORICAL.
“Among the customs peculiar to the inhabitants
of the South Pacific Islands, perhaps the most noted is that
of the preparation and drinking of a narcotic beverage
called ava, kava, or yakona. Much of its notoriety arises
from the repulsive way in which it is sometimes made. Aside
from this, it is characteristic of a certain oceanic area,
and seems to be as strikingly limited to this area as is the
stick-and-groove method of making fire. The custom, is not
confined to one ethnic stock, many notices in literature
showing that both Papuans and Polynesians practise it. In
many of the islands the Liquor is concocted by chewing the
root of the Macropiper methysticum, or long pepper, ejecting
the comminuted mass into a bowl, adding water, straining
out the pulp, and drinking the fluid. In other localities
it is made by simply grating the root and adding water.
“The plant from which kava is made is a shrub
of the natural order Piperaceae. It is about six feet high
with stems ranging from an inch to an inch and a half in
thickness; the leaves are cordate and from four to eight
inches long. This family is the source of the pepper of
commerce and contains several species that are of medicinal
and commercial importance.
In making kava, the root and base of the stem is
used. The roots usually weigh from two to four pounds,
though sometimes as much as 22 pounds. Several varieties
are distinguished by the natives; for instance, in Tahiti
there is a yellow variety called Marea; another, which becomes
pink on exposure to the air, is called avini-ute.
“Chewed when freshly gathered, the root first
tastes sweet and aromatic, then bitter, acrid and pungent.
It provokes abundant secretion of saliva and in a few seconds
occasions a sensation of burning on the tongue. The root
contains about fifty percent of starch, a little pale-yellow
essential oil, two percent of an acrid resin, and one percent
of the neutral crystalline principle methysticin, called
kavahin. To the latter principle we must attribute the toxic
qualities of the kava preparation. The resin and the kavahin
are insoluble in water, but are soluble in saliva and the
gastric juices.
“In Samoa, the ava root is grated or chewed, then
soaked, the woody pulp strained off, and the fluid drunk.
The root is used either dry or green. The flavor of the
liquid is at first like that of soapsuds, but immediately
afterward a pleasant aromatic taste is imparted, faintly
bitter, as in quinine. In Samoa, ava drinking is the accompaniment
of all meetings of the men.
“Kava is at first stimulating, but the effect of
an excess resembles that of opium, producing a drowsy drunkenness,
lasting for two hours. The inebriate is usually
peaceable, but sometimes is irritated by noises, which is
attributed by natives to the use of kava grown in moist
ground. The results of excess are skin disease, emaciation,
and general decrepitude. The peculiar whiteness of the skin
caused by kava drinking is said to be sought after in some
islands as a sign that its possessor is wealthy enough to
devote his time to its acquirement.
“There is some misapprehension in regard to whether
the liquid undergoes fermentation before it is consumed, but
it is positively known that there can be no fermentation, for
the liquor is drunk immediately after the addition of water
to the macerated root. Kava that is prepared by chewing
is said to be more palatable, which is perhaps due to the
conversion of the starch into a fermentable substance by the
ptyalin of the saliva.”[1]
“In 1779 Captain King, R. N., who followed Captain
Cook to the Islands, describes the case of a priest as follows
‘a little old man of an emaciated figure, his eyes exceedingly
sore and red, and his body covered with a white leprous
scurf, the effects of an immoderate use of ava.’ He also
says, ‘The chiefs suffer dreadful effects from the immoderate
use of ava. Those who are most affected by it had their
bodies covered with a white scurf, their eyes red and inflamed,
their limbs emaciated, their whole frame trembling
and accompanied with a disability to raise the head.’”[2]
F. A. Griel, makes the following statement in a
foot note. “The mixture is a subnarcotic, and if drunk by
European sailors produces highly nauseous effects. If frequently
taken a dry burning heat is produced all over the
body, the eyes become red, skin peels off in flakes and then
degenerates into leprous ulcers or the whole body becomes
emaciated and wastes away.”[3]
Numerous attempts have been made to isolate the
active chemical constituent or constituents. As early as
1844 Morson discovered an active principal Kawine. This is a
greenish-yellow, strongly aromatic and acrid resin. This
was again studied by Cuzant in 1860.
Gobley isolated from kava root a crystalline
principle (analogous to piperin), methysticin, or kavahin,
which is without odor and taste and is probably inert.[4]
In 1886 Lewin separated the resin into two resins, of which
the Beta resin is greasy and of a reddish-brown color,
appearing in mass almost black. This is less active than the
alpha resin which is yellowish brown, has the characteristic
odor of the drug, is freely soluble in alcohol, and placed
upon the tongue produces a burning sensation followed by
local anaesthesia.[5]
Lavialle claimed to have obtained an alkaloid,
Kavaine.[7]
The following statement was found in “Watts
Chemical Dictionary”, “Kawain—a crystalline resin occurring
along with methysticin in kawa-kawa, It is not a glucoside.
On oxidation it yields benzoic acid.[8]
The following statement appears in the Encyclopedia
Britannica. “There appears to be little doubt that the
active principle in this beverage is a poison of an alkaloidal
nature. It seems likely that this substance is not
present as such (i.e. as a free alkaloid) in the plant, but
that it exists in the form of a glucoside, and that by the
process of chewing, this glucoside is split up by one of the
ferments in the saliva and the free alkaloid and sugar is
formed”.
Arthur Bossingham[9] communicates the results
of a chemical examination of Kava-kava. Besides the
crystalline body, methysticin, which has already been
described by others, he was able to isolate and identify
three resins, one soluble in 5% solution of potassium carbonate,
the second insoluble in this, but soluble in 5%
solution of caustic potash, while the third was insoluble
in both of these alkaline solvents, The ash amounts to
2.495% of the air dried root, and contained besides mere
traces of Fe, Mn, mainly Calcium, Sodium and Potassium.[10]
THE BARIUM ACID.
The resinous material used and spoken of as the
“Barium Acid” is the material prepared and so named as given
under the “Method of Separation”.
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES:—Dark reddish brown in
color, syrupy in consistency and has a characteristic odor;
heavier than water; soluble in benzol, ether, alcohol and
acetone, but insoluble in petroleum ether and water.
This resin constitutes about sixty percent of the
total ester resins; i.e. the resins left after the free
acids have been removed with aqueous potassium hydroxide.
An analysis of the barium salt obtained by precipitation
from the potassium soap was made and the following
data obtained:—
| Wt. of substance used |
1.1715 |
.5860 |
| Wt. of barium sulphate |
.4430 |
.2205 |
| Barium equivalent |
.2606 |
.1298 |
| Percent barium |
22.2% |
22.1% |
The following method was used in making the
above analysis. The weighed material was ignited in a
platinum crucible by gently heating until the combustible
gases formed were given off. The crucible was then more
strongly heated to completely burn off the carbonaceous
material left. The residue was extracted with nitric acid
and the barium precipitated as the sulphate with dilute
sulphuric acid, and the weight of the barium sulphate
determined.
Expressed as the ACID NUMBER, or the number of
milligrams of potassium hydroxide required to neutralize
the free acids in one gram of the substance, the following
data was obtained:—
| Barium equivalent |
.2606 |
.1298 |
| Barium expressed as KOH equiv. |
.2131 |
.1062 |
| Wt. of material used |
1.1715 |
.5860 |
| Milligrams of KOH per gram |
181.9 |
181.3 |
| ACID NUMBER |
181.9 |
181.3 |
The following gives the ACID NUMBER obtained by
direct titration of the barium acid; in “A”, barium
hydroxide was used and in “B”, sodium hydroxide was used.
A small quantity of the material was dissolved
in a sufficient quantity of neutralized alcohol to give a
liquid of a light yellow color, Phenolphthalein was used as
the indicator, and the alkali was added until a red color
was produced.
|
“A” |
“B” |
| Wt. of substance |
.6160 |
.2345 |
| Cc. of alkalie |
4.54 |
1.75 |
| KOH equiv. per gram |
41.40 |
41.90 |
| Acid number |
41.40 |
41.90 |
On evaporating a portion of the alcohol from the
material left after titrating with the sodium hydroxide,
and adding water to obtain an aqueous solution of the sodium
salt, an emulsion was formed, and on standing globules
of the free resinous acid separated. From the data thus
obtained, it can readily be seen that the acid or acids
which constitute the BARIUM ACID must have a number of
carboxyl groups and form a different series of salts by
precipitation than by direct titration. The salt or salts
formed by direct titration, although neutral to phenolthalein
may be acid in structure. This is further shown
by the fact that the potassium salts produced by direct
titration are readily hydrolyzed. The acid number obtained
by the precipitation of the barium salt may be called the
COMBINING VALUE, and the acid number obtained by titration
the TITRATION VALUE.
A number of molecular weight determinations were
made on the free barium acid. McCoy’s Boiling Point Apparatus
was used and Merk’s benzol (free from thiophene) was used
as the solvent. A weighing pipette with a bulb was used
to introduce the material, the bulb being weighed before
the material was introduced into the apparatus, and afterwards,
the difference being the weight of the material used.
| Wt. of pipette (before) |
16.3670 |
14.8895 |
| Wt. of pipette (after) |
14.8895 |
12.4610 |
| Wt. of material used |
1.5225 |
2.4285 |
| Original temperature |
3.53 |
3.53 |
| Final temperature |
3.60 |
3.62-3 |
| Change in temperature |
.07 |
.09 |
| Volume of solution |
37 cc |
43.5 cc |
| Constant for solvent |
3280 |
3280 |
| Approx. Molecular Wt. |
2000 |
2100 or 1800 |
Combustions were made using the barium acids. By
qualitative tests it was found that the acids contained only
carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. The following gives the results
of the combustions.
| Wt. of boat |
2.8402 |
2.8402 |
| Wt. of boat and resin |
3.0500 |
3.0250 |
| Wt. of resin |
.2098 |
.1848 |
| Wt. of H2SO4 tube |
78.0250 |
78.1415 |
| Wt. of tube plus water |
78.1520 |
78.2550 |
| Wt. of water |
.1270 |
.1135 |
| Hydrogen equiv. |
.0143 |
.0126 |
| Wt. of KOH bulb |
48.8140 |
51.7095 |
| Wt. of bulb plus CO2 |
49.3800 |
52.2085 |
| Wt. of CO2 |
.5660 |
.4990 |
| Carbon equiv. |
.1543 |
.1361 |
| Percent Hydrogen |
78.5% |
73.6% |
| Percent Carbon |
6.8% |
6.8% |
| Percent Oxygen |
19.7% |
19.6% |
An attempt was made to make the potassium salts
of the barium acids by saponification with alcoholic potash.
A small quantity of the acid was treated with an excess of
ten percent alcoholic potash and heated to eighty degrees
Centigrade to complete the saponification. Instead of the
formation of the potassium salts, a thick dark brown solid,
gummy mass separated. On cooling it solidified to a brittle
solid which had all the physical properties of a true resin.
This solid is soluble in ether, chloroform and benzol,
slightly soluble in alcohol and insoluble in petroleum
ether and water. It burns without the formation of an ash.
Evidently, this brittle material is a condensation product
of the original barium acid.
OXIDATION PRODUCTS OF THE BARIUM ACIDS.
A small amount of the Barium acids was sealed
with concentrated nitric acid in a hard glass tube and
heated in a bomb furnace for an hour and a half at 115 to
120 degrees Centigrade. On cooling a yellow solid separated.
Qualitative tests showed that this oxidation product contained
no nitrogen, combined with sodium hydroxide readily,
is soluble in hot water, slightly soluble in cold water,
easily soluble in ether, alcohol and benzol and slightly
soluble in carbon tetrachloride. It decolorizes alkaline
permanganate but does not decolorize bromine water.
That there are a number of intermediate products
formed and that nitration also takes place during the
formation of these intermediate products is shown by the
following. A small quantity of the acids were placed in
a test tube and covered with concentrated nitric acid. This
was suspended in an H2SO4 bath and a thermometer inserted
so as to observe the temperature. On being gently warmed
the nitric acid and the resin began to react with a rapid
evolution of carbon dioxide and oxides of nitrogen. As soon
as the reaction had modified and before the temperature rose
above one hundred degrees Centigrade, a small amount was removed
and added to water. Some of the solid acid was formed
and also a number of globules of oil and there was a strong
persistent odor of nitrobenzene. The original test tube was
heated to about one hundred and twenty degrees centigrade
and a small portion again removed. There was more of the
solid material formed and the odor was similar to vanillin
or coumarin or cinnamic aldehyde. The test tube was again
tested when the temperature had reached one hundred and
thirty five degrees Centigrade. There was no aromatic odor
and a large amount of the solid formed. When viewed under
the microscope the substance had the appearance of curled
threads.
When the barium acids were treated with the standard
nitrating mixture, a solid was obtained which showed
the presence of nitrogen when the standard test was applied.
After the preliminary tests were made, the following
method of preparation was used. Two or three grams of
the barium acids were introduced into a hard glass tube of
about thirty centimeters in length and fifteen or twenty
cubic centimeters of concentrated nitric acid added.
The reaction which is very vigorous at first was regulated
by keeping the tube under running water. After this vigorous
action was over the tube was placed in a sulphuric acid
bath, and the temperature gradually increased until it had
reached one hundred and twenty five degrees Centigrade, at
which temperature it was kept for about five hours. It was
necessary to add a small quantities of nitric acid from
time to time to make up the loss by evaporation. When the
oxidation was completed the product was poured into water
and then heated to boiling. The resulting solution was
filtered and the filtrate allowed to cool. On standing a
quantity of a pale yellow substance separated. The following
data gives the percent yield of this oxidation product.
| Wt. of container |
6.7220 |
| Wt. of container and substance |
7.5920 |
| Wt. of substance |
.8700 |
| Wt. of oxidation product |
.1240 |
| Percent yield |
14% |
The oxidation product was dried by placing it in
a vacuum over sulphuric acid for several days. The neutralization
equivalent of this crude oxidation product was 157.
| Wt. of substance used |
.0502 |
| Number Cc. of NaOH N/10 |
3.2 cc. |
| Neutralization equivalent |
157 |
The oxidation product was heated on a watch crystal
and the sublimate allowed to collect on a funnel. The
first sublimate gave a melting point of 109 degrees Centigrade.
Combustions were made on this sublimate with the
following results.
| (1) |
C |
66% |
|
H |
4.7% |
| (2) |
C |
65.7% |
|
H |
4.8% |
| (3) |
C |
65.15% |
|
H |
4.8% |
| (4) |
C |
65.8% |
|
H |
4.85% |
The neutralization equivalent was obtained by
titrating an alcoholic solution of the sublimate with standard
sodium hydroxide. The following results were obtained
on two different lots of the sublimed oxidation product.
| Wt. of substance |
.09 |
.1006 |
| Cc. of alkali N/10 |
7 cc |
7.9cc |
| Neutralization equiv. |
128.6 |
127.3 |
Using a third sample the neutralization equivalent
was obtained from the analysis of the silver salt. The
silver salt was formed by adding silver nitrate solution to a
carefully neutralized solution of the sublimate. The insoluble
silver salt was filtered off, washed with water to remove
the excess of silver nitrate, and dried in a vacuum over
sulphuric acid for several days. A weighed quantity of the
silver salt was ignited in a platinum crucible and the residue
of metallic silver was weighed. The following data were
obtained using material from the same sample for each
analysis.
| Wt. of dish |
12.8825 |
12.8826 |
| Wt. of dish and substance |
13.0060 |
13.1310 |
| Wt. of substance |
.1235 |
.2484 |
| Wt. of dish and silver |
12.9400 |
12.9980 |
| Wt. of silver |
.0575 |
.1154 |
| Neutralization equiv. |
125 |
125.3 |
Using the same sample, a neutralization equivalent
was obtained by titration with standard NaOH.
| Wt. of substance |
.0912 |
| N/10 NaOH |
7.25cc |
| Neutralization equiv. |
125.8 |
The above data shows that the sublimate is a mixture.
No empirical formula can be calculated from the
combustions, and different samples give different neutralization
equivalents although the duplicate determinations on
the same sample showed good agreement thus demonstrating
the reliability of the methods.
By fractional sublimation it was possible to obtain
fractions with different melting points. The first
sublimate melted sharply at 109 degrees. From the last
fraction it was possible to separate some crystals that melt
at 200 degrees Centigrade. These might possibly be p-acetyl-benzoic
acid, as its properties of solubility, crystalline
form, its melting point and power of sublimation agree with
those of p-acetyl-benzoic acid.
Those crystals that appeared identical with benzoic
acid were placed in a melting point tube, and some
known benzoic acid (from toluol) was placed in another tube.
These two tubes were placed in the same sulphuric acid
container and their melting points taken at the same time.
They melted at the same temperature.
The sublimate had a very pleasant aromatic odor
resembling benzoin. It gave no coloration with ferric
chloride, thus eliminating a large group of aromatic compounds.
Some of the crystals were found to be identical with benzoic
acid when examined under the microscope. The characteristic
odor of methyl benzoate was produced when a small quantity of
the crystals were heated with methyl alcohol and concentrated
sulphuric acid. On treating some of the carefully
neutralized product with ferric chloride solution, a flesh
colored precipitate was formed. It agreed closely in its
analysis with the precipitate formed with known benzoic acid.
The filtrate left after the removal of the iron
precipitate was acidified and extracted with ether, and the
ether removed by evaporation. The resulting substance
decolorized alkaline permanganate solution, but did not decolorize
bromine water. When the leaflet needles that melt
at 200 degrees were mechanically removed from the original
sublimate, the substance left after precipitating with
ferric chloride melted at 109 degrees. When these crystals
were not removed, the melting point of this material was
not definite, but was over a range of five degrees, from 110
to 115 degrees Centigrade.
The oxidation product contains at least three
distinct substances, benzoic acid, a substance melting at
200 degrees and—which is probably p-acetyl benzoic acid
and a third substance melting at 110 degrees.
THE IRON ACIDS.
The resinous material used and spoken of as the
IRON ACIDS is the material prepared and so named under the
“Method of Separation”.
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES:—Transparent and reddish
brown in color, oily in consistency and has a characteristic
tea like odor, heavier than water, freely soluble in benzol,
ether, alcohol and acetone, but insoluble in petroleum ether
and water.
This resin constitutes about eighteen percent of
the total ester resins.
By qualitative tests it was shown that the acids
contained only carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Combustions
made on the iron acids gave the following results.
| Wt. of boat |
2.6950 |
2.6950 |
| Wt. of boat and substance |
2.8470 |
2.8495 |
| Wt. of substance |
.1520 |
.1545 |
| KOH bulb |
50.9620 |
51.0805 |
| Bulb and CO2 |
51.3370 |
51.4610 |
| Wt. of CO2 |
.3750 |
.3805 |
| Carbon equivalent |
.1023 |
.10376 |
| Sulphuric acid tube |
76.2448 |
76.3450 |
| Tube and water |
76.3400 |
76.4453 |
| Wt. of water |
.0952 |
.1003 |
| Hydrogen equiv. |
.0106 |
.01114 |
| Percent Carbon |
67.3% |
67.2% |
| Percent hydrogen |
7.0% |
7.2% |
| Percent Oxygen |
25.7% |
25.6% |
An analysis of the iron salt obtained by precipitation
from the potassium soap gave the following data.
| Wt. of substance used |
.2955 |
.3387 |
| Wt. of FeSO4 |
.0445 |
.0509 |
| Ferric equiv. |
.03208 |
.03676 |
| Percent Iron |
10.85% |
10.85% |
The following method was used in making the above
analysis. The weighed material was ignited in a platinum
crucible by gently heating until the combustible gases
formed were given off. The crucible was then strongly heated
until the carbonaceous material was completely burned off.
The residue was weighed and the percentage of iron determined.
Expressed as the ACID NUMBER, or the number of
milligrams of KOH required to neutralize the free acids in
one gram of the substance, the following data was obtained.
| Ferric equivalent |
.03208 |
.03676 |
| Fe expressed as KOH equiv. |
.0965 |
.1107 |
| Wt. of material used |
.2955 |
.3387 |
| Mg. of KOH per gram |
326.6 |
326.7 |
| Acid number |
326.6 |
326.7 |
The following gives the ACID NUMBER obtained by
direct titration of the Iron acid. The method is the same
as that used in getting the titration value of the Barium
acid.
| Wt. of substance |
.2450 |
.2472 |
| Cc of alkalie |
2.2 |
2.3 |
| KOH equiv. |
.01232 |
.01288 |
| KOH equiv. per gram |
53.87 |
52. |
An attempt was made to saponify some of the iron
acid, but it was impossible. The alcohol was partially
distilled off, and the acid freed by making the mass acid
with sulphuric acid, and shaking out with ether. The ether
was distilled off, but the remaining acid had different
physical properties from the acid with which the experiment
was started. It was lighter in color, and solidified at
zero degrees. At room temperature it was almost solid.
On ignition it left no ash. This probably is a polymerization
product of the original acid.
Since many organic acids whose salts cannot be
prepared by the ordinary methods can be prepared by passing
dry ammonia gas through a solution of the acid in anhydrous
ether, this method was tried with the iron acid. The iron
acid was dissolved in anhydrous ether, and the dry
ammonia gas was bubbled through this ether solution. At
first no change was noted, but after several minutes there
was a flocculent thready precipitate formed which was light
brown in color. The experiment was repeated. At first the
precipitate was a very light brown, but after forming it
quickly darkened. After standing a few hours the flocculent
precipitate changed to a sticky brown mass. This same change
was produced immediately if the precipitate was exposed to
the air. The resulting mass had no odor of ammonia.
The flocculent precipitate formed at first was probably
the ammonium salt of the iron acid, which like most
ammonium salts, it was precipitated due to its insolubility
in ether. Due to the ease of hydrolysis this salt immediately
decomposed to the acid and ammonia when traces of moisture
were present.
PHYSIOLOGICAL ACTION.
Due to the impossibility of preparing the alkali
salts of the barium and iron acids so as to be positive
that the resulting preparations completely represented the
barium and iron acids, and due to the insolubility of the
acids and the total resins in solvents from which they
would not again be precipitated when introduced into the
circulation, it was found necessary to make an emulsion.
The emulsifying agent used was acacia (gum arabic). It
was possible by careful preparation to make a permanent
emulsion that was miscible with water in all proportions
to form a homogeneous mixture. The animals used were rabbits
of about six pounds weight. The injections were made by
Dr. Geo. McCoy, director of the Leprosy Investigation
Station at Kalihi. All the physiological experiments were
made at the bacteriological laboratory at the Leprosy
Investigation Station.
One cubic centimeter of the emulsion of the total
resinous extract (strength 1 in 5) was injected into the ear
of a rabbit; the animal died immediately. Another rabbit
was injected in the same manner with one half cubic centimeter
of the same preparation. The animal immediately stretched
out and became rigid, or appeared to be paralyzed, but after
several minutes these symptoms lessened and after about five
minutes the rabbit appeared normal as far as activity was
concerned. As soon as the rabbit had recovered a second
injection of one quarter of a cubic centimeter of the same
preparation was injected in the same manner into the same
animal. The same symptoms were produced and with equal
intensity, but ten minutes passed before the animal again
became conscious. For several minutes after recovery the
animal appeared somewhat drowsy and stupid but it soon
regained its former activity.
One half cubic centimeter of the iron acid emulsion
(strength 1 in 7) was injected into the ear of a rabbit.
Immediate paralysis and apparent anaesthesia set in lasting
very pronouncedly for eight minutes. The rabbit’s head
was drawn backwards and its legs stiffened giving symptoms
similar to strychnine poisoning but they did not persist.
When a second injection of one quarter cubic centimeter
was given to the same animal, the same symptoms were produced,
the animal remaining under the influence of the injection
for about fifteen minutes.
The iron acid injection was repeated on another
rabbit with the same pronounced symptoms of strychnine
poisoning but the effect lasted only about ten minutes.
One half cubic centimeter of the barium acid
emulsion (strength 1 in 7) was injected into the ear
vein of a rabbit. The animal uttered several loud cries
and after moving several feet it became spastic and went
into a sort of a stupor, beginning to come out of it after
ten minutes. As soon as the animal recovered, a second
injection of one quarter cubic centimeter was made. The
animal again uttered loud cries and then it went into a
stupor, but it was not spastic. This lasted approximately
ten minutes. The animal did not completely recover until
about twenty minutes.
Thinking that the action might be largely mechanical
and that the symptoms produced were from the emulsion
itself and not from the effect of the material that was
emulsified, an emulsion of olive oil was used in a like manner.
This olive oil emulsion was made in approximately the
same consistency as the resinous emulsions, and one cubic
centimeter was injected into the ear vein of a rabbit.
No visible effects followed this injection during the one
hour’s time the rabbit was under observation.
One cubic centimeter intraperitoneal injections
of the total resinous extract emulsion and the same amount
of the iron acid emulsion were made into rabbits. During
the three hours the animals were under observation no symptoms
were produced. This may have been due to the extreme
slowness of absorption as compared with the rate of elimination
from the circulation.
Dr. J. F. Illingworth states as the result of his
observations while in the Fiji Islands that the kava beverage
even when taken in large amounts, does not apparently affect
the brain to an extent as to cause the drinker to appear
as if under the influence of alcohol, but he appears as if
the muscles from the hips downward are paralyzed. These
symptoms last for about half an hour, at the end of which
time the person is perfectly able to walk home.
In general the active constituent of any drug
produces a more pronounced but more fugitive effect than
the crude drug itself, and one might therefore expect more
violent reactions from the isolated active constituents of
the Ava then from the crude infusion. Judging from the
negative results obtained from the injection of the olive
oil emulsion, it is probable that the physiological effects
described above following the intravenous injections of the
various preparations were not mechanical but must be
ascribed to the action of the constituents of the Ava.
