816 
A short extract from Dr. Horsfield's ac- 
count of the Upas, given in the Memoir of 
Sir Stamford Raffles, may be interesting. 
** This tree is one of the largest in the fo- 
rests of Java; the stem is cylindrical and 
perpendicular, rising, completely naked, to 
the height of 60, 70, or even 80 feet. 
Near the surface of the ground it spreads 
obliquely, dividing into numerous broad 
excrescences or appendages; it is covered 
with a whitish bark; close to the ground 
this bark is, in old trees, more than an inch 
thick, and upon being wounded, yields 
plentifully the milky j juice from which the 
celebrated poison is prepared, The sap is 
contained in the tree-bark or cortex. The 
inner bark or liber of young trees is em- 
ployed by the poorer class of people in 
making a coarse stuff which they wear 
when working in the fields; but persons 
clad in this dress, on being exposed to the 
rain, are affected with an intolerable itch- 
,ing, which renders their flimsy coverin 
almost insupportable. The deleterious 
quality of the poison resides in the gum ; 
the preparation of a poison from which is 
an exclusive art of the inhabitants at the 
eastern extremity of the island 
“Tn clearing new grounds near the tree, 
the inhabitants do not like to approach it, 
as they dread the cutaneous eruption which 
it is known to produce when newly cut 
down. But except when the trunk is ex- 
tensively wounded, or when it is felled, by 
which a large portion of the j Juice is disen- 
gaged, the effluvium of which, mixing with 
the atmosphere, affects the persons exposed 
to it with the symptoms just mentioned, 
the tree may be approached and ascended 
like the common trees of the forest. Like 
all others in its neighbourhood, it is sur- 
rounded with shrubs and plants, 
** One of the regents had caps or bon- 
nets prepared from the inner bark, which 
were stiffened in the usual manner with 
 rice-water, and handsomely painted, for the 
purpose of decorating his attendants; but 
they all refused to wear them, asserting 
that Sony would cause their hair to fall off. 
* The following is a description of the 
mode of preparing this poison. About 
eight ounces of the juice from the tree, 
ACCOUNT OF THE UPAS TREE. 
which had been collected during the pre- 
ceding evening, and preserved in a joint of 
bamboo, was carefully strained in a bowl. 
The sap of the following substances, which 
had been finely grated and bruised, was 
then expressed, and poured into it, viz.— 
Arum, Amomum, Common Onion, and Gar- 
lic, of each about half a drachm ; the same 
quantity of finely-powdered Black Pepper 
was then added, and the mixture stirred. 
A single seed of Capsicum fruticosum was 
then placed on the fluid, in the middle of 
the bowl: the seed began to reel round 
rapidly, now forming a regular circle, then 
darting towards the margin of the cup, 
with a perceptible commotion on the sur- 
face of the liquor, which continued for one 
minute. Being completely at rest, the 
same quantity of Pepper was again added, 
and another seed of the Capsicum laid on, 
as before ; a similar commotion took place 
in the fluid, but in a less degree, and the 
seed was carried round with diminished 
rapidity. The addition of the same quan- 
tity of Pepper was made a third time, when 
a seed of the Capsicum being carefully 
placed in the centre of the fluid, it remained 
quiet, forming a regular circle in the fluid, 
resembling the halo of the moon. This is 
the sign that the preparation of the poison 
is complete." 
Sir S. Raffles states that, “the common 
train of symptoms is a trembling of the 
extremities, restlessness, erection of the 
hair, affection of the bowels, drooping and 
faintness, slight spasms and convulsions, 
hasty breathing, an increased flow of saliva, 
spasmodic contractions of the pectoral and 
abdominal muscles tching, vomiting, 
great agony, na aa — violent 
and repeated convulsions, and death. _ 
* The action of the Upas is chiefly di- 
rected to the vascular system. The volume 
of the blood is accumulated in a preterna- 
tural degree in the large vessels of the 
th orax. 
“ The circulation appears to be abstract- 
ed from the extremities and thrown upon 
the viscera near its source, the lungs being, | ; um l 
in particular, stimulated to excessive bye 
tions. The vital viscera are opp: by 
an iniolersble load, which produces ie 
