20 MALAYAN FISH POISON, 



Akei* tuba grows apparently wild on tlie plains in Perak, 

 and is also ratlier extensively cultivated. The roots, done up 

 into bundles, are to be bought in many of the shops, and in 

 Taiping, the chief town of Perak, it sells for about 35 cents per 

 kati, or 9|cZ. per pound. 



The root, which is the most virulent part of the plant, exudes, 

 when cut, a white milky sap, which imder the microscope is seen 

 to be an emulsion. The roots have a rather pleasant aromatic 

 resinous smell, bearing a slight resemblance to that of liquorice 

 root. 



It is used largely by the Chinese market gardeners as an 

 insecticide, for which purpose the fresh roots are chopped tip fine 

 and then pounded and mixed with water, which becomes milky, 

 and which is sprayed or lirushed over the plants with a bunch of 

 feathers. 



The main i;se of the i)lant was. however, until the much- 

 needed prohilution came into force, as a fish-poison, f for which 

 purpose it is pounded or ground fine and mixed with stiff clay 

 and crushed refuse shrimps or small fish, and the mixtm-e is then 

 made into balls and dried. These balls are thrown into the sea, 

 like ground bait, and fish eating them become poisoned, rise to 

 the sm-face, and are caught by the watching fishermen. This 

 way of using it is i)robably not very harmful, though the same 

 cannot be said of its use in fresh waters. 



By the Malays it is used in the rivers in the following way : — 

 One or more dug-out canoes, according to the size of the stream 

 to be operated on, are partly filled with water and the pounded 

 roots. The men then upset the boat or boats into the river, and 

 allow the other boats to drift down with the current, whilst with 

 nets and spears they secure the fish as they rise stupefied to the 

 surface. It is a most destructive method of fishing, killing as it 

 does all the fish, little and big, for some miles along a waterway. 

 The young fish sticcumb much more readily to the poison than 

 the larger ones. In ponds and pools the destruction of the fish is 

 even more complete than in a river, and the Malays say it is years 

 l)efore they become tenanted with fish again. In all instances, 

 besides the actual effects of the poison, the fouling of the water 

 by the decomposition of the bodies of the fish and animals of all 

 sorts has to be taken into consideration. 



By experiment I have found that 20 grains of the green root 

 will render one gallon of water sufiiciently poisonous to kill fish. 



* Fish poisoning is still, however, carried on. In March of tlie present 

 vear (1893) I saw a large party fishing in one of the rivers; fully 500 

 people were engaged, and many boat-loads of fish were caught and more 

 destroyed. For over ten miles down the river dead and dying fish were to 

 be seen. Dynamite is also used to a considerable extent in the State. 



