Some Notes Begarding South African Pharmacology. 127 



been flaws in the chain of evidence, partially owing to the fact 

 that the poison was practically new to science. Although the 

 physiological action appeared to be the same, up to that time there 

 had been no definite tests capable of application, so as to identify the 

 poison found in the organs with that contained in the plant. In 

 the interval, however, that had elapsed between the submission of 

 this case and the one previous I had determined to make at least 

 some endeavour in the direction of investigating the matter more 

 thoroughly. Through the kindness of' Mr. H. G. Flanagan, of 

 Komgha, I was enabled to procure a supply of Acocanthera venenata. 

 The investigation was naturally one that needed abundance of time 

 and leisure, which I was not able to bestow on it, but I succeeded in 

 doing what I think will enable the poison to be identified in most cases 

 that may hereafter occur. 



The results of my investigations were these. 



If the root and bark of Acocanthera venenata are ground and 

 treated with alcohol, and the alcoholic extract purified by means of 

 charcoal, and evaporated, an active principle is obtained responding 

 to the following chemical tests : — 



Frohde's reagent Yellowish - brown changing into 



brownish-green. 

 Concentrated sulphuric acid Yellow, changing first to pink, then 



brick-red, and finally violet. 

 Concentrated sulphuric acid with Emerald-green changing into clear 

 potassium dichromate blue. 



A strong and healthy mouse treated with a very small quantity of 

 the residue of the alcoholic extract just mentioned died in 20 hours ; 

 the heart was found, by post-mortem examination, to be very firmly 

 contracted, and the small intestines and liver congested. A young 

 mouse similarly treated also died, but in this case no post-mortem 

 examination was made. 



In the stomach of the last-mentioned child the above-named 

 characteristic reactions were also noticed, but the quantity of the 

 posion was too small for exact determination ; it was probable, 

 however, that some of it had been lost by emesis and some absorbed 

 into the system, as it is evident that the drug is one capable of very 

 rapid absorption. 



A sample of the root forwarded together with the child's stomach 

 was extracted in a similar manner and administered to a healthy 

 and vigorous mouse, which died within a few hours ; the heart was 

 quite contracted, pale and firm. To another mouse, which had 

 apparently been previously injured, a small quantity of the drug 



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