POISONS 



identical with, the scillitine of squills, and therefore the action of 

 G. superba is not unlike that of squills. The symptoms, which may 

 appear in half an hour, are retching, violent vomiting, spasms, with 

 contortions of the body and racking pains, with short intervals of 

 relief from time to time. Death may take place in four hours. 

 The post-mortem reveals congestion of the brain and membranes, 

 with extravasations of blood, congestion of the lungs, liver, and 

 kidneys and inflammation of the mucous membrane of the stomach. 



The treatment is that for irritant poisoning in general. 



Hyoscyamus falezlez. — The Tuaregs are said to use H. falezlez to 

 kill travellers. 



i 



I'lG. lo. — GloHosa siiperba Linn^us. 



Jatropha curcas.- — J. curcas Linnseus (Euphorbiaceae), the ]ura- 

 tree of India, has a seed which is called the ' physic nut,' from which 

 the oil can be expressed which is an irritant to the skin and a purga- 

 tive. 



The symptoms of poisoning are vomiting, purging, abdominal 

 pain, derangements of the special senses, muscular twitchings, and 

 loss of memory. The treatment, after getting rid of as much of 

 the poison as possible, is lime-juice and stimulants. 



Melianthus (Melianthaceae).- — Various species of Melianthus are 

 said to be very poisonous by Grey, who suspects the possibility of 

 their use by South African Bushmen. 



Melicocca (Sapindaceae) occurs in British Guiana, where it is called 

 Kinnup. In a two-year-old child it caused convulsive twitching 



