EDITORIAL. 



The Philippine Journal op Science will begin a series of short 

 editorial articles in the first number of Volume III, and will continue 

 this policy in each succeeding number. These articles will consist of 

 shorter notes concerning the work which is being carried on in the 

 PhililDljines that otherwise would not be published, but which may 

 be of interest to the readers of the Journal. The body of the Journal 

 will be reserved for tlie longer papers embodying extended investigations, 

 as heretofore. 



Paul C. Freer. 



PHILIPPINE ARROW POISONS. 



Many of the uncivilized and semicivilized tribes of the Philippines 

 use poisoned arrows, principally for killing game. It is exceedingly 

 difficult to discover the nature of the poisons which are used, as the wild 

 man is of a very suspicious nature and will give misleading statements 

 to anyone who endeavors to ascertain what plants he employs in their 

 preparation. Many tribes claim the knowledge of the means of poisoning 

 arrows to be a secret held only by the old men. Thus, Dr. Foxworthy, 

 of this Bureau, after an extensive visit among the Negritos of Bataan 

 Province, was told by these little people that they poisoned their arrows 

 by using the bark and sap of two trees, one of which is Diospyrus canomoi 

 and the other a tree called bicag. The latter was said to be very poisonous, 

 but it was not identified. The Negritos in common with many other 

 Filipino tribes, believe in the exceedingly deadly nature of Diospyrus 

 conomoi, but the specimens of this plant which have been brought into 

 the laboratory have been only very moderately toxic. '^ About two years 

 ago, Commissioner Worcester succeeded in obtaining a small amount of 

 arrow poison from the northern part of Mindoro near Bulalacao, evidently 

 the sap of a tree. The sap was a milky liquid, the consistency of cream, 

 specific gravity 1.065 at 15°. It had an exceedingly bitter taste and a 

 high viscosity. The odor resembled that of sour bread dough, a slight 

 fermentation had set in, the reaction was slightly acid. A quantity of 



'Baeon, R. F.: This Jnunml (1000), 1, 1028. 



• 41 



