POISONS FEOM ANIMAL KINGDOM 127 



The toad has, in common mih most batrachians, two 

 distinct sets of cutaneous glands — (a) mucous, and 

 (h) granular ; both have definite poisonous properties 

 (Kef. 11), The granular glands or protuberances found 

 by the head of the animal are highly developed, and are 

 known as the parotid glands of the toad. They secrete 

 a creamy, yellowish-white, acid venom* When excited, 

 all toads exude this irritating milli-like fluid from their 

 cutaneous glands ; it is called by Malays simi katak 

 puru, or " the milk of the jturu toad/* and is obtained 

 for evil purposes by slicing the parotid glands with a 

 knife. The exudation soon becomes sticky, and is said 

 to be used as an external irritant in combination with 

 the very irritating saps of the rmgas and hinjai trees 

 (both Anacardiaceje) and the waxy secretion which 

 covers the white gom-d-melon (Benincasa cerifera, 

 Savi — Cucm-bitaceae) . The mixture is put into a bamboo 

 tube, kept until it decomposes, and then transferred 

 for storage to a glass bottle. Decomposition is hastened 

 by the addition of some water. This preparation is 

 intended for throwing at the victim or smearing on his 

 sleeping mat or on his skin dming sleep. It is said to 

 cause an incurable eruption like a tinea or ringworm in 

 appearance, and even in some cases death. 



The active principle of toad venom was first investi- 

 gated in 1817 by Pelletier in Europe. In 1873 Casah 

 and Fornara extracted an alkaloid called phryine," 

 which acted on the heart like digitalis. In 1902 Faust 

 discovered two poisons, an acid '* bufotalin," which was 

 the more poisonous of the two, and " bufonin," a 

 neutral body which was not so active. Fm-ther 

 research by MM. Phisalix and Bertrand shows that the 

 poison of the toad owes its activity to two substances, 

 " bufotahne," a resinoid body, and " bufotenine " ; the 

 former is soluble in alcohol but only slightly soluble in 



