1844.] DELETERIOUS EFFECTS. 183 



one of the most dangerous of known vegetable poisons is 

 prepared, acting like Nux vomica. 



" This must not be confounded with the real Upas or 

 Antiaris, as it is a true Stryclmos, (the 8. Tiente) and 

 belongs to the same genus as the St. Ignatius' beans of 

 the Philippines (8. Ignatid)^ and the plant ($. toxiferd) 

 which furnishes the basis of the Wourali poison, which the 

 intrepid and enthusiastic Mr. Waterton brought from 

 Guayana. The Upas, Hippo, Antsjar, or Upo, is found 

 in Java, Bali, and Celebes, as well as in Borneo, and it 

 is a curious fact, that the wholesome and useful Bread- 

 fruit tree, the delicious Mulberry, nay, even the famous 

 Cow tree of South America, which supplies the Indians 

 with milk, and the common Pig, should, with their luxu- 

 riant properties, belong to the same natural order of 

 plants which includes the deadly Upas." 



One exception to the above proved, I think, that the 

 effluvium from the Upas is not altogether harmless ; a 

 separate visit was made by Dr. Lawson, the Surgeon of 

 the ' Phlegethon ', accompanied by one of the mates. On 

 this occasion, they went prepared to obtain a large por- 

 tion of the wood, bark, and juice, and the mate, a 

 powerful person and of a strong constitution, felt so much 

 stupified as to be compelled to withdraw from his posi- 

 tion on the tree. The only method of solving this point 

 satisfactorily, would be to try the effect of confining an 

 animal under glass, with a portion of the juice with the 

 bark, exposed sufficiently to the rays of the sun as to 

 cause the diffusion of the vapour. 



" Darwin, in his ' Botanic Garden', misled by the 

 fabulous account of N. P. Foersch, has given us the fol- 



