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On the Physiological Action of a Recently-Discovered African 



Arrow Poison. 



By Charles Bolton, M.D., Assistant Physician to University College 



Hospital. 



(Communicated by Professor Sidney Martin, F.E.S. Beceived March 20, — 



Bead April 5, 1906.) 



(From the Pathological Laboratory, University College, London.) 



The investigation of the toxic properties of this poison was undertaken at 

 the request of Professor Bay Lankester, to whom it was sent by Dr. David 

 Alexander of the West African Medical Staff Corps in September, 1904. 



Dr. Alexander obtained the poison from a medicine house at Ghasi, 

 a pagan town on the Gongola Biver, a tributary of the Benue, in Northern 

 Nigeria. He states that when fresh it is a semi-fluid, black, sticky 

 substance, that it is smeared on sticks, and that when it is required for 

 re-dipping the arrows it is scraped off and heated. It appears to be 

 composed of, or at all events to contain, the juice of a variety of Fig, and it 

 is stated that placenta is used in its manufacture. Dr. Alexander further 

 states that he saw a native shot in the abdomen with a poisoned arrow, and 

 that death resulted apparently from heart failure in about 25 minutes. 



No attempt has yet been made to analyse the substance chemically, and 

 the following remarks therefore apply entirely to its physiological action. 

 There are many further points in relation to the action of this interesting 

 poison which require elucidation, but as only a small amount was available 

 for use it was thought advisable to publish the main results which have been 

 obtained. The subject will be treated of under the following headings : — 



1. Physical properties of the poison. 



2. Minimum fatal dose. 



3. Symptoms following its injection into animals. 



4. Post-mortem appearances resulting from such injection. 



5. Experimental investigation into the physiological action of the poison. 



6. ^*Conclusions. 



7. Protocol of experiments. . 



1. Physical Beoperties of the Poison. 



The poison which I received was smeared on two canes and dusted over 

 with the powder from the inside of a gourd to preserve it. The substance 



