DR THOMAS R. FRASER ON STROPHANTHUS HISPIDUS. 967 



When the watery solution obtained by triturating one-tenth of a grain with 4 minims 

 of distilled water was injected under the skin of a frog weighing about 400 grains, 

 symptoms appeared similar to those observed with toxic but non-lethal doses of Stro- 

 phanthus, and the frog afterwards recovered. When, however, the watery solution from 

 one-fifth of a grain was injected under the skin of a frog, weighing 320 grains, the 

 peculiar attitude, the gaping movements of the mouth, the fibrillary twitches of muscles, 

 the slowing of respiration, and the general feebleness of voluntary muscles observed in 

 Strophanthus poisoning manifested themselves ; and on exposing the heart, forty -two 

 minutes after the administration, it was found to be motionless and inexcitable by 

 mechanical irritation, and to present the usual appearance of a heart poisoned by 

 Strophanthus. General reflex movements could be produced for many minutes 

 after the heart had ceased to contract, and they were, indeed, particularly sudden 

 and shock-like in character, even when the animal was flaccid and incapable of 

 performing any voluntary movements ; but no reflex contractions could be excited by 

 succussion. 



Packets or Bags of Wanyika Arrow-Poison, J (see Plate II.). — The poison for 

 arrow D, and it is stated also for arrow C, is stored ready for use in cylindrical packets 

 or bags, constructed of three layers of palm leaf. I am further indebted to Dr Felkin 

 for two specimens of unbroken packets, and also for a separate irregular-shaped, dark, 

 resin-like piece of a substance reputed to be the same poison. One of the packets is 

 represented in fig. J of Plate II. It weighs 834 grains, and the other packet 732 grains. 

 Each packet is neatly tied round and secured at the ends with a cord, which, at one of 

 the ends, is continued into a loop for suspending the packet. 



The poison is of a dark brown, nearly black colour, and is hard but yet slightly plastic. 

 A small portion put into a few drops of water sank to the bottom, and at once began to 

 dissolve, the solution being at first clear and pale brown in colour, but afterwards dark 

 brown and opalescent, from suspended minute brown particles. The solution was 

 slightly acid in reaction, but in small quantity it was not distinctly bitter. When the 

 opalescent fluid was examined microscopically, it was found to consist chiefly of minute 

 yellowish-brown granules, and of small masses composed of these granules, mingled with 

 which were a very few fragments of vegetable tissue and apparently of vegetable hairs. 

 It almost entirely dissolved in solution of potash, forming a deep gamboge-yellow solu- 

 tion, which very soon became brownish-yellow; and when heated with 10 per cent, 

 sulphuric acid at a temperature of 110° to 120° F., it became at first light brown, then 

 darker brown, and afterwards brown with a faint violet hue. 



One-tenth of a grain mixed with 3 minims of distilled water was injected under the 

 skin at the left flank of a frog weighing 440 grains. The frog soon moved about 

 uneasily, some froth was produced in the glass chamber in which it was confined, the 

 respirations became infrequent and then ceased, the pupils contracted, fibrillary twitches 

 occurred at the flanks and back and subsequently in the posterior extremities, and the 

 movements became greatly impaired. When the frog was lying flaccid and resting on 



