Some Notes Regarding South African Pharmacology. 131 



results were observed on applying the customary tests to the 

 principle extracted by alcohol: — 



Taste Slightly bitter. 



Concentrated sulphuric acid Bright vermilion, changing to orange, 



then yellow, and finally greenish- 

 yellow. 



Sonnenschein's reagent White precipitate. 



Platinum chloride Nil. 



Gold chloride Nil. 



Picric acid Nil. 



One drop of a 4 per cent, decoction of the powdered bark, 

 administered to a mouse, resulted fatally in 10 hours ; a drop 

 of the aqueous solution of an alcoholic extract of the bark caused 

 death in the case of another mouse in 10 minutes ; a third mouse 

 died 5 minutes after receiving a drop of an aqueous solution 

 of the purified active principle, equivalent to one-fortieth of a milli- 

 gramme of the latter. In all these cases the liver was pale and the 

 stomach and intestines distended. The heart of the second mouse 

 was arrested in diastole, and in the other two cases in systole. Too 

 long boiling destroys the activity of this substance, but a carefully 

 prepared decoction, in small doses, acts as a powerful emetic, and 

 an overdose, as already stated, causes paralysis of the heart. 



Certain roots which could not be identified caused the death of a 

 native at Herschel. Chemical investigation showed no alkaloids or 

 glucosides to be present, the toxic principle being apparently a resin. 

 A decoction representing 4 - 6 grains of the root administered to a 

 guinea-pig caused convulsions and loss of power in the limbs in a 

 couple of hours, which terminated fatally 4^- hours after the decoction 

 was taken. A decoction equivalent to 12 - 3 grains was given to a 

 dog and the sesophagus was tied to prevent emesis ; death occurred 

 in 45 minutes. In both cases there was congestion of the stomach 

 and upper portions of the intestines. Some medicine, prepared by 

 the native medicine-man charged with the fatality, and forwarded at 

 the same time, was administered to a guinea-pig (30 c.c, con- 

 centrated by evaporation to 3 c.c, were actually given in two doses 

 an hour apart) ; similar symptoms were noticed as in the former 

 case, and death ensued in 8 hours from the time of administration of 

 the first dose. 75 c.c. were given to a rabbit in two doses separated 

 by an interval of 3 hours ; 90 minutes later paralysis of the after- 

 extremities set in and gradually increased, terminating fatally. 



In connection with the death of a native girl at King William's 

 Town, a "Kaffir doctor" who had administered a decoction of certain 

 roots to the deceased was indicted for culpable homicide. The plant 



