POISONED ARROWS OF THE ABORS AND MTSHMIS OF NORTH-EAST INDIA. 901 



The cardiorespiratory dislocation, noted above, consists of a great reduction in 

 the rate and freedom of the respiratory movements, unaccompanied with correspond- 

 ing changes in the heart's contractions, and even, for a time, accompanied with 

 augmentation of the heart's action, which, however, is followed by irregularity, 

 feebleness, and paralysis of that organ. Cardio-respiratory dislocation occurred in 

 all the animals, along with general motor weakness and, in the rabbit and 

 rat, with conspicuous increase in the salivary and frequently in the bronchial 

 secretions ; while in the frog, the skin secretion was definitely increased and 

 general dropsy frequently produced. These symptoms represent the more con- 

 spicuous of those that are caused by aconite. 



The minimum lethal dose per kilo of animal was found to be about O'l grm. for 

 the rat, 0'075 grm. for the rabbit, and O'l 2 grm. for the frog, implying much the 

 same lethal power for each animal, considering that the poison was injected in the 

 form of a suspended powder. It may be noted, however, that the frog is more 

 resistant than the other animals. 



As will afterwards be shown, this lethal power is much less than that of several 

 other Abor and Mishmi arrow-poisons afterwards received, which is confirmatory 

 of the supposition that deterioration had occurred. 



The characteristics of aconite action stated in the above tables indicate the 

 presence of aconite in this arrow-poison, and this indication has been supported by a 

 microscopic examination of the poison which, most obligingly, was made afterwards 

 for me by Mr H. F. Tagg of the Edinburgh Royal Botanic Garden. He found " that 

 the basis of poison matrix is a cortical or intravascular starch-storing tissue char- 

 acteristic of tuberous organs." On comparison with the starch-containing parenchyma 

 of the root tubers of Aconitum ferox, he found that " in size of cell and character of 

 starch grain the two agree very closely." Other characters are also stated which 

 harmonise with those of Aconitum ferox. 



There were also present starch granules unlike those of aconite, no doubt derived 

 from some of the other substances that enter into the composition of the arrow-poison. 



(b) Poison of Lieut- Colonel Sir Wyville Thomson's Arroiv-head. 



This poisoned arrow-head, received separated from the rest of the arrow, was 

 given to me by Lieut. -Colonel Sir F. Wyville Thomson, I.M.S., early in March 1912. 

 It had been sent from the Janakmukh Camp, N.W. of Pasighat in the Abor country. 

 It was believed to be one of the poisoned arrows prepared for use against our troops 

 in General Bowers' expedition of 1911-1912, and Sir Wyville w T as under the 

 impression that " the poison is croton." 



Experiments were made with the poison of this arrow on rats and frogs, and they 

 are noted in Tables V and VI. 



