124 Transactions of the South African Philosophical Society. 



already been published regarding its action on the heart. The 

 authors mention one characteristic chemical test, namely, that 

 when crystals of the purified poison, which they consider to be 

 a glucoside, are treated with strong sulphuric acid, a pink colour is 

 almost immediately developed, which soon darkens to a brick-red, 

 and then slowly fades to a pale brown. The subject is still further 

 enlarged upon by Holmes.* He likewise considers the Wa-Nyika 

 poison to be derived from an Acocanthera, and then goes on to refer 

 to the Swahili arrow-poison, which he says is certainly derived from 

 an Acocanthera, but is doubtful whether the plant is Acocanthera 

 venenata or Acocanthera spectabilis. 



It will be seen from what I have already said that the identity of 

 the plant has been somewhat uncertain, and the only chemical test 

 recorded is the isolated one mentioned by Eraser, which may possibly 

 be found to apply to all the Acocanthera poisons, or only to that 

 found in Acocanthera Schimperi. 



The point I wish to emphasise is this — that hitherto there has 

 been no recognised well-defined chemical test for any of the 

 Acocanthera poisons, and certainly not for the poison of Acocanthera 

 venenata. The position to be faced by an analyst, who has to test 

 for this poison in human organs, differs therefore widely from that 

 which he has to occupy when testing for strychnine, or arsenic, or 

 any of the well-known poisons, the tests for which are subjects of 

 general scientific knowledge : in such t cases as the latter one needs 

 but to apply those recorded tests, and, from the reactions noticed, 

 infer the presence or absence of the poison he is in search of. With 

 regard to Acocanthera there were no such recorded tests ; they had 

 to be discovered ere they could be applied, and to the analyst 

 engaged in elucidating the mysteries of a case of culpable homicide, 

 the time allowed for coming to a conclusion is hardly adequate for 

 the pursuance of lengthy original research. Hence the scientific 

 knowledge necessary for expert judgment comes to us piecemeal as 

 case follows case. 



One of the earliest cases of evident Acocanthera poisoning to come 

 under my notice occurred about four years ago. It was that of a 

 Kaffir woman, apparently 60 or 65 years of age. Half a cupful 

 of a plant decoction had been administered to her, and fifteen 

 minutes later she was found dead, vomiting and purging having 

 taken place meanwhile. Post-mortem examination revealed the 

 fact that she had been affected with fatty degeneration of the 

 heart, while the bases of both lungs were congested. The District 

 Surgeon who performed the autopsy, concluded that fatal syncope 

 * Pharm. Journ., vol. xxiv. , pp. 41, 42. 



