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stalks  I inch  long.  Each  llower  is  \ inch  across  pale  purple  in 
colour  with  few  rather  broad  lobes  and  a very  short  tube. 
The  fruit  is  large  and  oval  in  out  line  with  a strong  keel  on  one 
side.  It  is  three  inches  long  and  as  much  through,  brown  and 
rough  with  very  small  warts.  When  cut  through  it  is  seen  to  have 
a thick  rind  ^ inch  through  white  and  pithy,  and  containing  as  does 
the  rest  of  the  plant  a quantity  of  latex.  This  rind  which  when 
fresh  is  quite  tasteless  is  the  eatable  part  of  the  plant.  The  seeds 
are  ovate  flat  thin  discs  an  inch  long  and  three  quarters  of  an  inch 
across  and  form  a large  mass,  overlapping  each  other.  They  are 
brown  and  possess  a broad  thin  wing  all  round  the  seed  itself. 
The  plant  belongs  to  the  order  Asclepiadaceoe,  and  inhabits  the 
shores  of  tidal  rivers  creeping  over  the  bushes  along  the  banks.  It 
is  called  Akar  Peler  Kambing,  or  Kambing-kambing.  It  occurs  in 
Singapore,  Malacca,  Pahang  and  as  far  north  as  tlie  Merqui  Archi- 
pelago and  in  the  Sunderbunds  in  India. 
Mrs.  Bland  informs  me  that  this  fruit  is  used  to  make  a conserve 
in  Malacca,  which  is  very  palatable  and  I find  it  is  also  so  used  here. 
The  following  is  the  recipe,  as  used  in  Singapore. 
The  rind  is  taken  and  cut  into  pieces  and  dipped  in  salt  and  water 
for  three  days,  then  removed  to  fresh  water  for  2 days  and  then  put 
into  boiling  syrup. 
It  is  also  used  as  a “ sambal  ” for  curry.  For  this  die  rind  is  put 
into  salt  and  water  for  3 or  4 hours,  and  then  boiled. 
The  seeds  are  said  to  be  poisonous  killing  a dog  in  about  twenty 
four  hours. 
H.  N.  RIDLEY. 
DATURA- POISONING. 
Dr.  J.  D.  GimlETTE  publishes  in  the  British  Medical  Journal 
(May  16,  1903)  an  article  on  Datura  poisoning  in  the  Federated 
Malay  States.  These  poisonous  plants  [Datura  crastuosa,  and 
D.  alba),  commonly  to  be  found  in  gardens  and  waste  grounds  are 
known  to  the  Malays  as  Kechubong,  the  black  datura  a dark  co- 
loured usually  purplish  flowered  form  or  species  being  known  as 
Kechubong  Hitam,  Kechubong  Ulong,  and  in  Kedah  Trong  Pungah, 
the  white  form  is  called  Kechubong  Putih.  For  criminal  purposes 
the  seeds  are  used  in  the  Native  States,  but  I have  known  of  a 
decoction  of  the  leaves  being  used  in  Singapore,  and  also  dried 
flowers.  Four  cases  of  criminal  use  of  the  drug  in  Pahang  and 
Selangor  are  described,  the  seeds  being  administered  in  tea  or 
curry ; but  Dr.  GlMLETTE  also  mentions  cases  of  mixture  of  the 
seeds  with  opium  and  Indian  hemp,  and  also  burnt  with  incense 
so  as  to  produce  lethargy  in  the  victims.  The  results  of  taking  the 
seeds  internally  are,  dryness  of  the  throat,  uncertainty  of  vision 
and  delirium.  It  does  not  seem  to  be  ordinarily  fatal  except  in  the 
case  of  young  children  and  aged  persons.  In  cases  of  datura- 
poisoning,  emetics  are  usually  the  hrst  remedies  applied,  but  Dr. 
GlMLETTE  states  that  too  much  reliance  must  not  be  put  in  these 
and  the  early  administration  of  a purgative  is  often  advisable. 
