STROPHANTHUS SARMENTOSUS : ITS PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTION. 



347 



Table I. — Dr Dalziel's Arrow-Poison prepared from S. sarmentosus by the 

 Natives of Northern Nigeria. 



Minimum-Lethal Dose for Rabbits by Subcutaneous Injection. 



Weight of 

 Animal 

 in grams. 



Actual Dose 

 in grams. 



Dose per kilo- 

 gram of Animal 

 in grams. 



Result. 



2050 

 1860 

 1600 

 1200 

 1950 



0-00615 



0-00651 



00064 



0-009 



0039 



0-003 



0-0035 



0-004 



0-0075 



0-02 



Recovered. Slight effects. 

 Reeovered. Distinct effects. 

 Death in 5 hours 18 minutes. 

 Death in 45 minutes. 

 Death in 47 minutes. 



The minimum-lethal dose per kilogram of this poison by subcutaneous injection in 

 rabbits was found to be # 004 gram, or 2f times larger than the minimum-lethal dose 

 of the extract of S. sarmentosus. The arrow-poison was not completely soluble 

 in water. The symptoms and post-mortem appearances caused by its administration 

 were identical with those produced by the extract of S. sarmentosus, but they did not 

 occur so soon after the injection. While death occurred within two and a half 

 hours after the injection of the minimum-lethal dose of the extract, it did not occur 

 until five hours after the injection of the minimum-lethal dose of this arrow-poison. 



Table II. — Liquid Part of Dr Dalziel's Arrow-Poison. 

 Minimum- Lethal Dose for Rabbits by Subcuta?ieous Injection. 



Weight of 



Animal 

 in grams. 



Actual Dose 

 in grams. 



Dose per kilo- 

 gram of Animal 

 in grams. 



Result. 



2600 

 1290 

 1600 

 1500 



0-0052 

 00029 

 0-004 

 0-0045 



0-002 

 0-00225 

 0-0025 

 0-003 



Recovery. Severe effects. 



Death in 2 hours 



Death in 3 hours. 



Death in 1 hour 10 minutes. 



The minimum- lethal dose per kilogram of this part of Dr Dalziel's arrow-poison by 

 subcutaneous injection is, in rabbits, about 0-00225 gram per kilogram, or 1^ times the 

 minimum-lethal dose of the extract of S. sarmentosus. Death occurred as rapidly 

 after injection as in the case of the extract of S. sarmentosus, and similar 

 symptoms and post-mortem appearances resulted. As it contains only soluble 

 matter and presumably the Strophanthus products present in the arrow-poison, its 

 greater toxicity is easily accounted for. The difference of lethality between it and the 

 entire arrow-poison indicates that all or several of the other ingredients which enter 

 into the composition of the entire poison diminish its lethality, and are introduced to 



