26 



INTKOni'CTION 



The Poisonous 

 Ushar plant 



'Cti/t'x' 



t'xtenik'il liis obsurviitioiis in Eiii^liin<l. Of spuciiil interest are his couclusious, based 

 oil Dr. Huam's suggestions, as regards the role of uuts in gum production, au interesting 

 analogy, possibly, between the transmission of diseases aflfecting animal and vegetable life 

 respectively. 



Dr. Thompson, besides assisting in the work on soils, water, poisons, commercial 

 products and the various analyses which are always being conducted, took up as a Una 

 of research the pharmacology of Cti/utropix procfru, the Ushar plant, with a view to 

 isolating the toxic principle or principles which, as previously explained, may occasion 

 poisoning by merissa, the national Sudanese drink, a kind of beer brewed from dura — 

 (millet). His results are detailed in his paper. In this connection one would gratefully 

 acknowledge the kind help received from Dr. Power and Mr. C. .T. S. Thompson of 

 th(^ Wellcome Chemical Research Laboratories in Luiulon, wlio furnished records 

 of the literature on the subject to which we could not otherwise have easily gained 

 access. 



Dr. Beam, himself, has succeeded in finding a colour test for the detection of 

 hashish, a most useful discovery the valuf of wiiicli has lieen confirmed by Professor Schmidt 

 and Mr. Lucas in Cairo, and has been concerned in all kinds of analytical and ailvisory 

 work, the outcome of questions brought before the Central Economic Board. 



Mr. Goodson, who has been elected a Fellow of the Institute of Chemistry, has 

 rendered valuable assistance and has also had charge of the meteorological work for 

 Khartoum, a duty which I am informed he discharges in a most satisfactory manner, 

 but which naturally trespasses somewhat on time whicli might well be devoted to 

 chemical investigations when there is so much to be done. 



The laboratory steamer has been mentioned. It was named the " Culu;" and has 

 been well-nigh as ubiquitous as its namesake. After conveying the Floating Laboratory 

 up the Blue Nile, it took Dr. and Mrs. Seligniann up and down the White Nile. Then 

 Colonel Mathias and I travelled by it to the Bahr-El-Ghazal where a trypanosome strain 

 was secured and where experiments were made with a Dinka tsetsefuge in the shape of 

 Vitis produetn. So far the outlook in this direction is nut promising, but Mr. King, 

 who is now working for the Sleeping Sickness Commission, is to repeat and amplify the 

 observations. Cattle diseases were also studied and posts on the Nile visited and 

 reported upon at the instance of the Central Sanitary Board. The S. IV. " Cide.i;" then, 

 is a most useful auxiliary, and greatly enhances the value of tiie laboratory barge, 

 making the latter independent of the ordinary Nile steamers. 



The laboratories' museum has been hou.sed in a new and larger rouui kindly granted 

 for the purpose by Mr. Currie and, under the fostering care of Mr. Buchanan, has 

 considerably developed, though one still regrets the serious losses caused by fire. It is, 

 however, in a better state generally than has ever been the case before. Dr. Waterfield 

 has kindly sent some very interesting material from Port Sudan, anil a circular which 

 was sent out has produced good results on the whole. 



The library increases slowly, for our funds are limited, but our exchange list 

 has attained formiilable dimensions and the work of checking, acknowledging and 

 cataloguing reprints and other publications is no light matter considering we do not 

 possess a .secretary or librarian. 



One again takes this opportunity of thanking all those, and tlicy are now to be 

 found in most parts of the world, wlm liave been good enough to .sen<l us reprints of 



