POISONS FEOM ANIMAL KINGDOM m 



appear to be used by Malay criminals as an abort i- 

 facient. For use as a medicine the insect is divided into 

 seven equal pieces, and a piece is taken every day with 

 a quid of betel, I have known a Kelantan woman 

 recover from amenorrhoea by taking (Undang in this 

 way. As in other parts of the world, aphrodisiac 

 properties are ascribed to the cantharides beetle, but it 

 is stated that almost fatally poisonous doses must be 

 used to obtain such effect. All the cantharides beetles 

 are powerful UTitants to the alimentary tract and * 

 genito-urinary organs, causing, in over-doses, a frequent 

 irrepressible desire to pass water, which is done only 

 with pain, strainhig, and the presence of blood in the 

 urine. They cause blisters and all symptoms of a 

 violent irritant. Twenty-four grains of powdered 

 cantharides have caused death within tliirty-six hours 

 from peritonitis, with collapse, convulsions and coma. 

 Smaller doses have caused serious- effects. Sedgwick 

 reports the case* of a girl who became dangerously ill 

 after eating one Spanish fly given in a tart {British 

 Medical Journal, 1911). 



The active principle, cantharidin, is found permeating 

 the trunk and soft parts of the beetle only ; it is present 

 in the proportion of about J per cent. (Lyon and 

 Waddell). It is a powerful vesicant. The characters 

 and tests are given in the British Pharmacopoeia 

 of 1914 as follows : " Colourless glistening crystals, 

 inodorous. Very slightly soluble in water ^ petroleum 

 spirit y or alcolwl (90 per cent.) ; more soluble in 

 chloroform, in acetic ether, and in ax:etone ; soluble 

 also in fixed oils, A 0-1 per cent, solution in a fixed 

 oil raises blisters when kept in contact with the 

 skin. Melting point 210° to 212^ Slowly volati- 

 Uses at 100°, more rapidly at liigher temperatures. 

 Soluble in solutions of sodium hydroxide, the solution 



D-2 



