POISONS OF VEGETABLE ORIGIN 207 



PINEAPPLE 



Nanas, the pineapple {Ananas sativa, Linn. — Brome- 

 Hacees), is sometimes used in its nnripe state by Malay- 

 women as an abortif acient ; a young green pineapple 

 about half -grown is either eaten raw or the fruit is 

 sucked ad libiium so as to absorb the juice. Sometimes 

 salt is added. Pineapple juice contains " bromelin," a 

 proteolytic ferment which acts Hke pancreatin in neutral 

 or alkaline media ; it has long been used as an aid to 

 digestion. In India the fresh juice is supposed by 

 natives to be poisonous if injected hypodermically. 



POKOK BATU PELIR KAMBING 



Pokok hatu pelir kanihing is a Kelantan village plant 

 quite distinct from the better known jungle climber of 

 almost the same name {akar batu pelir kambing) , which 

 has already been described as Sarcolobus globosus, 

 Wall. — Ascelepiadaceae. The poisonous village plant 

 now referred to is Rauwolfia perakensis, King and 

 Gamble— A pocynaceae ; it was identified by Mr. Burkill 

 from a specimen sent to him in 1913 from Kelantan. It 

 is not widely distributed, but is found in Perak and 

 Pahang. Rauwolfia perakensis is a small shrub with 

 small yellowish-white flowers and small red berries, 

 which from their peculiar shape give the Malay name 

 for this plant — that of a goat's testicle. 



Although Malay children sometimes poison them- 

 selves unwittingly by eating the berries, the plant itself 

 does not appear to be very poisonous ; but its effect is 

 said to be very serious when combined with poisonous 

 aroids, such, for example, as kMadi ckandek and likir, 

 which are mentioned under section KfiLADi. This 

 mixture when given in food is said to cause very great 

 swelling in the throat and fauces, so that the tongue 



