in the forests of the eastern coast. All parts contain poison 
to a greater or lesser degree, but the nuts or kernels are 
most toxic. This toxicity results from the presence of a 
cardiac glycoside, tanghinin (C27H400g), whose physio- 
logical properties resemble those of strophanthin and 
ouabain. Its action produces dyspnea, restlessness, and 
vomiting, followed by slackening of the heartbeat and 
the abolition of voluntary movements. Convulsions and 
exaggeration of the reflexes precede death, which is 
caused by the halting of respiration. 
Tanghin was employed in the judgement of all crimes, 
including those of conspiracy, poisoning, and stealing, 
but its main use was in the apprehending of those be- 
lieved to be in league with, or controlled by, sorcery. 
Since there existed, as in many societies, a group of 
people upon whom suspicion was most likely to fall, con- 
stant persecution and subjection to the poison were com- 
mon. However, during times of stress, this situation 
was magnified so that all groups in a community were 
viewed as possible contributors to evil, and, hence, as 
candidates for the ordeal. 
For example, a series of epidemics and evil occurrences 
in the year 1880 spurred the sovereign into issuing a reso- 
lution to ‘‘purge the country and kill the rats,’’ meaning 
to rid it of its sorcerers. Tanghin was the judge; no class 
was exempt. The slightest suspicion was a valid indict- 
ment. ‘Trials of this sort, with the highest and lowest 
submitting together, resulted occasionally in the annihi- 
lation of 6000 people at a time. 
After a while, the frequency of these massacres abated, 
and the ordeal came to be applied almost exclusively to 
the lower classes. Although the medicine men were often 
corruptible, the poverty of these groups rendered this a 
small factor to all but the occasional wealthy person who 
was called to participate. 
[ 272 | 
