BOTANY 165 



times been suggested that papyrus and other swamp plants could 

 be used to produce paper or possibly power alcohol. Some years 

 ago a factory was actually opened in the Sudan with this in view, 

 but was closed down soon afterwards; and in 1931 the late Dr. 

 Chipp reported (not published) to the Sudan Government at con- 

 siderable length on the possibilities of a paper factory. Extensive 

 investigations were also made in the sudd area in 1929 and 1930 

 with special reference to the proposals for canalization, by N. D. 

 Simpson, a botanist seconded from the Egyptian service. He also 

 has reported (not published) to the Sudan Government. The only 

 other study on the plant ecology of swamps in Africa appears to be 

 that by Eggeling (1935) on the Uganda swamps referred to above. 

 The Cambridge Expedition to the East African Lakes of 1 930-1 

 paid some attention to swamps, and among its reports L. C. Beadle 

 (1932) has described the bionomics of some swamps, particularly 

 in relation to physical and chemical conditions. In South Africa 

 D. Weintroub (1933) has described the aquatic and subaquatic 

 vegetation of the Witwatersrand. 



TOXICOLOGY AND MEDICINE^ 



A special branch of botanical study is that of plant poisons and 

 medicinal herbs in use by natives. Accounts of such plants have 

 been given for South Africa by Professor J. M. Watt (1932) and 

 Dr. D. G. Steyn (1934). These two books and various papers by 

 the same authors form the basis for further work of this nature in 

 Africa. Professor Watt's volume deals with the medicinal uses, 

 chemical composition and toxicology of plants in relation to both 

 man and animals, and includes a survey of all previous work on 

 these subjects. Dr. Steyn's book is based on work at the Onderste- 

 poort veterinary research station, where a team of scientists have 

 been investigating all aspects of animal diseases due to plant poisons 

 for many years. The book deals critically with the fundamental 

 as well as the specific aspects of plant poisons, and gives a systema- 

 tic account of all the known poisonous species which occur in South 

 Africa. For Uganda, Mettam (1932) has written an account of 

 plants poisonous to stock. 



Of French scientists, R. Dubois (1933) has discussed some of the 



* See also minor forest products, Chap, vii, p. 209. 



