" Sometimes a husband is not sure that his wife has become pregnant by him 

 and he may accuse his wife of adultery. Then two fowls are brought, one 

 representing the husband, this is always a cock and a hen to represent the wife. 

 Each are given mwabvi, if the husband is right in his accusation, the hen dies 

 and the cock survives. If the husband is wrong, the cock dies and the hen escapes. 



' ' About thefts, the accused has to drink the mwabvi himself. If not guilty he 

 vomits, if guilty he dies. 



" These practices are now prevented by Government but they used to be so, 

 long ago before the white men came but it must be noted that everyone who drinks 

 the male mwabvi bark gets poisoned for even the ignorant native knows that it is 

 poisonous." 



There is a physiological reason why the poison may to some extent be selective 

 of criminal and imiocent. The guilty is in such a state of fear that he secretes 

 adrenalin, the normal secretion of a frightened person, to such an extent that the 

 muscles of his stomach do not contract and reject the poison, while those of the 

 innocent who has implicit faith that he will vomit, will contract and cause him 

 to do so. The amount of the poison, however, has to be nicely adjusted as too 

 small amounts might be insufficient to cause vomiting even on the part of the 

 imiocent. 



Ref. 14; 15; 26. 



207. Euclea fructuosa Hiern (Ebenac). 

 Msanama (N). 



A much-branched evergreen tree up to 30 ft., alternate or subopposite, obovate, 

 oblong, glossy leaves with reflexed margins, flowers, small yellowish-green in short 

 racemes in the axils of the leaves, fruit a small pea-like, hairy berry. 



A black dye used for native mats is obtained from the roots; the branches are 

 used for toothbrushes as they are said to make the lips and mouth very red. (E.A.). 

 A tree used for the same purpose was seen at Mzimba. The wood is useful. 



Ref. 9; 14; 17; 26. 



208. Eulophia sp. = Davies 727 (Orchid.). 

 Nkonko (Tu). 



An orchid growing to about 6 ins. high with an irregularly-shaped swollen 

 root or tuber. 



The roots are rubbed on to cracked pots to mend them. 



209. Euphorbia tirucalli L. (Euphorb.). Milk bush. 

 Nkhadze (N), mngaci (N, Y), ngaci (C). 



A shrub with much-branched succulent stems, perfectly smooth and round 

 in cross section and generally yellowish-green in colour. Under natural conditions 

 often forms a small tree up to 30 ft., narrow leaves to half an inch long occur on the 

 very young tips, inconspicuous small yellow-green flowers and trilocular fruits. It 

 exudes a white latex. Widespread, it is either solitary or gregarious, in dry areas 

 throughout Nyasaland, very commonly planted on graves. 



A live hedge plant, its latex which is extremely irritating to the eyes and may 

 cause temporary blindness, protects it from browsing animals. The branches are 

 bruised and thrown into water to poison fish (E.A.). 



Ref. 17; 18. 



210. Euphorbia sp. = Miss Barker 436. (Euphorb.). 



Cikhawo (N). 



A herb with long tapering tap root, dark bro^vn in colour. 



57 



