348 



SIR THOMAS R. FRASER AND MR ALISTER T. MACKENZIE ON 



render the poison more viscous and adhesive, or under some misapprehension of their 

 potency, or with a superstitious intention. 



That there are ingredients in the entire arrow-poison which diminish its lethality as 

 contrasted with that of extract of S. sarmentosus was made apparent when the insoluble 

 substance in the arrow-poison was separately examined. It was then found that when 

 rabbits received by subcutaneous injection doses of this portion of Dr Dalziel's arrow- 

 poison up to 0*02 gram per kilogram (or equivalent to 13 times the minimum-lethal 

 dose of extract of S. sarmentosus), no definite symptoms were produced with even the 

 maximum dose. 



Table III. — Northern Nigeria Poison from one of Sir Frederick Lugard's Arrows. 

 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. 



1370 

 1700 

 1320 

 1380 



0-00411 

 0-00544 

 0-00462 

 0-00552 



0-003 

 0-0032 

 0-0035 

 0-004 



Recovery. Slight effects. 

 Recovery. Slight effects. 

 Death in 3 hours. 

 Death in 1 hour 17 minutes. 



The minimum-lethal dose of this poison for rabbits is the same as that of the poison 

 sent by Dr Dalziel. The symptoms and post-mortem appearances are identical with 

 those produced by extract of S. sarmentosus. 



When a dose of 0'004 gram per kilogram was injected subcutaneously into the 

 flank of a rabbit, distinct symptoms were manifested in 50 minutes, and the animal 

 died in 1 hour 17 minutes. When the same dose per kilogram (0'004 gram) was 

 inserted in a dry state under the skin of the flank of a rabbit, distinct symptoms 

 appeared in 50 minutes, and the animal died in 1 hour 5 minutes. As the poison 

 removed from one of the smaller and one of the larger arrows weighed 2 5 and 4*5 

 grams respectively, the one arrow carried sufficient poison to kill ten men and the 

 other eighteen men. 



Table IV. — Arrow-Poison from one of the Chibbuh Hill Campaign Arrows. 

 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. 



1700 

 1300 

 1650 



0051 



0-00455 



00066 



0003 



0-0035 



0-004 



Recovery. Slight effects. 

 Recovery. Distinct effects. 

 Death in 3 hours. 



