circumstances, the ordeal’s judgement could hardly have 
failed to gain credence. 
The native usage, which consisted of making a decoc- 
tion in water from the different parts of the plant, pro- 
duced primarily extreme nausea. This was soon followed 
by retching and violent vomiting, heavy purging, and 
complete exhaustion. Immediately before death, several 
small convulsions signified the halting of the heart and 
respiration. Upon post mortem examination, there was 
found considerable congestion at the bases of both lungs, 
a fatty degeneration of the heart muscle, and severe 
gastro-intestinal inflammation. 
Other Ordeal Poisons 
There were several other toxic plants often used as 
ordeal poisons by the natives of Kast Africa. But because 
of their small importance, little or nothing has been writ- 
ten concerning their gathering, methods of employment, 
or physiological effects. 
The first of these is Strychnos spinosa Lam. of the 
Loganiaceae, the active principle of which is the alkaloid 
strychnine. This principle acts on the central nervous 
system producing a halting of respiration immediately 
followed by heart failure. This plant was employed pri- 
marily in Mozambique, where the natives made a decoc- 
tion in water from the bark. 
The second is Strophanthus Courmonti Sacl. of the 
Apocynaceae. The active principle in this plant, the car- 
diac glycoside strophanthin, was obtained from the 
grains. Its action in small doses is similar to digitalis 
poisoning, the difference in effects being primarily quan- 
titive rather than qualitative. Large doses cause general 
tetanus, and leave the heart muscle in a state of contrac- 
tion resembling vigor mortis. (Potter, 1913) 
The strophanthin in this plant exists both in the form 
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