Photosensitivity diseases in New Zealand

Abstract

This paper describes procedures for the preparation of concentrates of the facial eczema hepatotoxin from toxic dried grass. Fractions have been made repeatedly containing 1/3000 of the weight of the original dried grass with very little loss of poison, and fractions containing 1/20,000 and up to 1/100,000 of the weight with a slight loss of the poison. Other information from fractionation studies is given, providing alternative techniques, and giving information on the chemical and physical properties of the poison. Evidence is presented that the concentration of the poison in relatively toxic dried grass is well below the order of 1 part in 100,000.