26
An Egg-cooling Cabinet
ACTIVE PRINCIPLE
Greenish [1881 and 1883] isolated two bitter
principles, namely, neriodorin and neriodorein.
These toxic principles are possibly identical with
neriim and oleandrin described by Schmidberg
[1882 and 1883]. Bose [1901] isolated karabin.
Pendse and Dutt [1934] made a systematic
chemical examination and showed that the bark
contained small quantities of a volatile essential
oil, two amorphous glucosides, viz. neriodorein
(C 23 H 34 O 11 ) and neriodorin (C 32 H 32 O 7 ), a solid
crystalline wax, a phlobaphane, a tannin and a
dark red colouring matter. The presence in the
fresh bark of traces of peroxidase and hydro-
lytic enzyme has also been shown. Neumann
and Linder [1937] have shown that the aglucone of
oleandrin is identical with acetylgitoxigenin, the
aglucone of desacetyl-oleandrin with gitoxigenin.
They considered that chemically and pharmacolo-
gically both the glucosides belong to the group
which may be designated as containing glucosides
of digitalis group.
Fisher and Viderko [1937], however, found no
alkaloids in the leaves, though Tschesche [1937]
and Farbenind [1938] obtained glucosides from the
leaves that have an action on the heart. Tschesche,
Bohle and Neumann [1938] isolated the cardiac
glucosides from oleander leaves and proposed the
structural formula. Clinically, it is used like
digitalis, but has produced better therapeutic
effects.
SUMMARY
Observations were made on the toxicity of
Nerium odorum Fleanders to bulls, sheep and goats.
It was found that all parts of the plant were
highly toxic.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors wish to express their gratitude to
Mr S. R. Chadha, formerly Veterinary Investigation
Officer, North-West Frontier Province, for supply-
ing the plant.
REFERENCES
Bose P. (1901). Proc. Chem. Soc. 17, 92
Farbenind, I. G. (1938). A. G. Brit. 478-500 Jan. 11,
Abst. in Chem. Abst. 1938, 32, 4726
Fisher, H. and Viderko, L. (1937). Farm Zhur. No.
110-113-F. &V.
Greenish S. (1881). Pharm. 11, 565 and 873
———(1883).
Pharm. 13, 289
Kartikar, K. R. and Basu, B. D. (1938). Medicinal plants
2, 1584
Kobert, R. (1902). Lehrbuch der Intoxikationen, Stuttgar
Neumann, W. and Linder, W. (1937). Arch. Exptl.
Path. & Pharmakol. 185, 630
Pendse, G. P. and Dutt, S. (1934), Bull. Acad. Sci. U.P.
Agra, Oudh India, 3, 209
Schmidberg P. C. (1882). Arch. Exp. Path. 16, 159
—(1883).
Ber. Chem. Ges. 16, 253
Snipe D. (1887). Quart. J. Vet. Sci. in India, 50
Steyn; D.G. (1929). 15th Rep. Dir. Vet. Ser. U. of S.
Africa, 777
Tschesche, R., Bohle, K. and Neumann, W. (1938). Ber,
71B, 1927
Tschesche, R. (1937). Ber, 70B 1554
Von Itallie, L. and Bylsma, U. G. (1928). Toxicologie en
gerechtelike Skeikunde, D.B. Centen Vitgevers Maat.
schappij, Amsterdam, 1928
Walsh, L. H. (1909). South African Poisonous plants
T. Maskew Miller, Cape Town
Wilson—quoted by Pammel, L. H. (1911). A manual
of poisonous plants. The Torch Press, Iowa
AN EGG-COOLING CABINET
By A. J. MACDONALD and T. S. KRISHNAN, Poultry Research Section, Imperial Veterinary Research
Institute, Izatnagar
(Received for publication on 19 July 1943).
(With Plate III and two text figures)
THE quality of an egg depends on inherited and
environmental factors and the latter are more
easily controlled than the former. Among the
various external factors which influence egg quality
temperature is normally the most important.
Though eggs can be stored successfully for several
months in cold storage, exposing them to consider-
ably higher temperatures for even a comparatively
short period will render them inedible. Ordinarily,
when subjected to high temperatures, eggs deterio-
rate rapidly, the air cell enlarges, the white liquefies
and the yolk flattens out and ultimately ruptures.
Herrington and Sharp [1934] showed that,
whilst the interior quality of eggs could at low
temperatures, be conserved over fairly long
periods, the rate of deterioration increased rapidly
at higher holding temperatures. Eggs at 50°F.
had their yolks in sound condition after 13 weeks