84 A NOTE ON RENGAS POISONING. 



whose action in producing a pustular eruption is identical 

 with Rengas sap, and which have the additional advantage 

 that their constitutional action is never dangerous. Internal- 

 ly, the juice acts as a violent irritant, causing vomiting and 

 purging, and its administration is in the highest degree dan- 

 gerous. 



Malays assert that simple contact with the leaves or un- 

 broken branches is sufficient to give rise to equally evil ef- 

 fects, but experiment points to the fact that it is the sap of 

 the tree that possesses the noxious qualities, and that simple 

 contact with unbroken twigs is not usually hurtful. It is a 

 matter of some importance, however, to note that the wood 

 of the Rengas tree, which, being closely grained and capable 

 of taking a high polish, would otherwise be of great value for 

 cabinet-making, retains its irritant properties long after the 

 sap has apparently dried. I am informed by Messrs. KNIGHT 

 & Co. of Singapore that, after years of seasoning, when the 

 wood is cut up it gives rise to painful and intractable erup- 

 tions on the hands and bodies of the workmen, and that, for 

 this reason alone, its value as an economic wood is seriously 

 impaired. 



The immediate treatment of the poison is generally success- 

 ful ; it should be to wrap the injured part in bandages with 

 some dry alkaline powder, such as bicarbonate of soda, the 

 object being to counteract the acid of the poison, and to 

 absorb the exuded secretion from the skin. Vaseline or lard 

 smeared on the hands and bodies of the woodcutters prevents 

 the sap from setting up inflammation by affording a protective 

 covering to the skin. Many cases, however, especially those 

 that have been neglected, are refractory to treatment of any 

 sort, and the ulcers that form between the fingers and toes 

 as a result of Rengas poison are extremely untractable and 

 sluggish in taking on a healthy and healing action ; the erup- 

 tion in emaciated and unhealthy subjects being very apt to 

 develop into a condition of chronic ulceration. 



If we pass from the region of observed fact to the more 

 dubious realm of Malay belief and narrative, we are told that 

 when a Rengas tree is felled, the exhalations from the cut 



