DR THOMAS R. FRASER ON STROPHANTHUS HISPIDUS. 969 



tilled water, was injected under the skin at the left flank. Symptoms of the same kind 

 as those manifested in the previous experiment with one-tenth of a grain of the same 

 poison, gradually made their appearance ; but at no time was any spasm or any exaggera- 

 tion of reflex excitability shown, even in the tied leg. The heart ceased to contract in 

 less than one hour after the poison had been administered, and the observations were 

 continued until all reflex excitability had disappeared, as a consequence of stoppage of 

 the circulation. 



The irregular-shaped piece of dark resin-like substance reputed to be the same poison 

 as that contained in the packets was found to be inert when given in doses of one-tenth, 

 one-fifth, and one-half of a grain, respectively, to small frogs. 



Arrow E (see Plate I.), like arrow A, is in the Materia Medica Museum of the 

 University of Edinburgh. It is one of five similar arrows, tied together, and labelled 

 "Arrows from Negroes of River Gambir, poison unknown," and also on a separate label 

 in Sir Robert Christison's writing, "Poisoned Arrows used by the W. Africans near 

 Macquania Island on the Gambir River. From Dr Neligan, 1856." 



The arrow is 32§- inches in length, but was originally of greater length, as all the 

 five arrows have been shortened by being cut across near the bowstring end, there being 

 neither notch nor feathering. The shaft is made of a rather slender bamboo cane, and in 

 its present state it is 28^ inches long. The head is inserted into a hollow in this cane, 

 and the part of the cane receiving the head is strengthened by a lashing of tendon for 

 about l£ inch. The straight portion of the head projecting from the cane is 2^ inches in 

 length ; and the barbed head is nearly 2^ inches long, and -f of an inch wide at its broadest 

 part. The latter is of an elegant saggitate form, tapering gradually to a long fine point 

 at the distal extremity, and terminating at the base in two narrow and long barbs ; and 

 on each surface one of its lateral wings is convex, while the other is concave. The poison 

 surrounds the straight portion of the head, and also extends up the centre of the barbed 

 head almost to its point on each side. It is of a dirty greyish-brown colour externally 

 and nearly black internally, brittle, without odour, and very bitter. When microscopically 

 examined it was found to consist of fragments of vegetable tissue, yellow granular particles, 

 numerous oil globules, and numerous broken pieces of vegetable hairs. 



With solution of potash, the fluid part became faintly yellow, with brownish particles 

 diffused through it ; and when heated between 116° and 118° with 10 per cent, sulphuric 

 acid, the original brown colour was slowly converted to green, and then became reddish - 

 brown. When the poison was rubbed up with a little water, a sherry-coloured, clear, and 

 faintly acid solution was obtained, but the greater part of it remained undissolved as a 

 reddish-brown debris. 



The watery solution from xoth of a grain was injected under the skin of a frog weighing 

 435 grains, and produced symptoms exactly resembling those following the administra- 

 tion of Strophanthus. The heart was exposed one hour and forty minutes after the 

 poison had been injected, and it was then perfectly motionless and inexcitable to 

 mechanical irritation, the ventricle being small and mottled, and the auricles large 



