424 Mr. Schomburgk on the Indian Arrow Poison, 



severe attack of the tetanus and lock-jaw, the mouth being 

 too firmly closed to admit the introduction of either food or 

 medicine, was inoculated on the fleshy part of the shoulder 

 with an arrow-point coated with the Wourali poison ; in ten 

 minutes apparent death was produced. Artificial respiration 

 was immediately commenced, and kept up about four hours, 

 when re-animation took place ; the animal rose up, apparently 

 perfectly recovered, and eagerly partook of hay and corn. 

 He unluckily was too abundantly supplied with food during 

 the night. The consequence was over-distention of the sto- 

 mach, of which the animal died the following day, without 

 however having the slightest recurrence of tetanic symptoms.^' 

 (^Outlines of Human Pathology.') From this experiment, 

 which has been repeated, it was considered that it might be 

 successfully applied in hydrophobia ; and in a distressing case, 

 where Inspector Phelps, of Nottingham, was suffering under 

 this dreadful disease, Mr. Waterton, of Walton Hall, was re- 

 quested to attend for the purpose of directing the operation. 

 He came too late, as Mr. Phelps had expired before his arrival: 

 but, for the advancement of general information, he, with his 

 usual kind feelings, agreed to exhibit the experiment upon 

 animals. The proceedings which were carried on before the 

 surgical and medical profession at Nottingham have been 

 detailed in the Nottingham Journal of 12th April, 1839, and 

 have been since likewise printed in several periodical journals, 

 where they may be referred to by those who feel interested in 

 it. It was attempted during these experiments to restore by 

 artificial respiration two asses, after they had been wounded 

 with the Urari poison. The one first operated upon, although 

 apparently recovered from the effects, died four days after- 

 wards of debility : with the fate of the second I am not ac- 

 quainted. However this may be, it becomes evident, that the 

 Urari, in the present state of our knowledge of its effects, 

 could only be resorted to in the greatest extremity as a remedy 

 against hydrophobia, and where there is no hope of recovery. 



The poison has been hitherto only to be procured with diffi- 

 culty, as the Indians who manufacture it are not easily induced 

 to part with it ; but as I have fully ascertained that the effect- 

 ive principle is the bark of the Strychnos toxifera, and that 

 the additional herbs are of less importance, and no doubt 

 serve merely to mystify its preparation, it will become easy to 

 any one to prepare the Urari, provided the bark be in his 

 reach. It will likewise assist to draw the attention of the fa- 

 culty to the chemical properties of the genus Strychnos. 



According to M. Chevreul, the Strychnos nux vomica con- 

 sists of acidulous malate of lime, gum, vegeto-animal matter. 



