the dart-poison by the Sakais, and it is also used in the same way 
ky. Mentawei islanders (Lewin Pfeilgift, 13 1). Occasionally 
it is used criminally. A good account of the plant and its use 
was published by L. Wary, in the Pharmaceutical Journal (1892, 
p. 01). He extracted the poisonous resin to which he gave the 
name of Tubain, but this had already been experimented with 
by Greshoff* who had called it Derrid. A similar-poisonous 
resins occurs in many other Leguminous plants used for fish 
poisons and has been named timboine, nicouline and pachyrhi- 
zin, all of which Greshoff appears to consider the same principle 
m various conditions of purity. Pachyrhizin is obtained from the 
seeds of Pachyrrhizus tuberosus, the Yambean (Bengkunang or 
Sengkuang) commonly cultivated here for its edible tuberous 
root. There was recently a case of accidental poisoning, in Sin- 
gapore, by the seeds of this plant. 
One part of derrid in 350,000 parts of water according to Wray 
or onein five million parts of water according to Greshoff will 
kill fish in half an hour. The poison is according to Wray inso- 
j-r an d he states he has seen a fish eat a quantity without ill 
effects. However the decoction made by pounding the roots 
m water is not only rapidly fatal to fish when it comes in con- 
tact with the gills, but is speedily fatal to man when swallowed. 
1 he extract has long been used by the Chinese and other garden- 
ers here as an insecticide, but of course it is unsafe to use if on 
vegetables eaten uncooked. 
Datura fastuosa (, Solanacecz ), Kechubong. — A tall herb with 
large dentate leaves, and shown tubular flowers, white or more 
or less violet attaining a length of as much as seven inches but 
often smaller. The fruit is a globose thorny capsule about an 
inch through, dehiscing irregularly and containing a large num- 
ber of flat seeds. 
There are three varieties met with here ; one with dark purple 
stems and single violet flowers the “Black Datura”; one with 
single white flowers and green stems, var alba , and one with 
double violet flowers. The plant is often cultivated and occurs 
as a common weed in many places, being indeed very difficult to 
eradicate. It grows rapidly and perishes after flowering. The 
plant is used by natives as an anodyne for sprains, rheumatism 
and boils, the leaves being applied to the injured part. In India 
it is smoked for asthma, and is a native remedy for hydrophobia. 
1 he native name here, Kechubong, is evidently a variant of Ke- 
cnubu, an Arabic word given by Ainslie as a name for the plant. 
Its action as a violent narcotic poison is well enough known, 
and it is stated that the black variety is the most poisonous. 
1 his variety is much the commonest here. Almost any part of 
the plant, flowers, leaves or seeds is used for poisoning. 
D. Metel L.— An allied species with pubescent leaves and 
stems and ten not five lobes to the corolla does not occur here 
nor does D. stramonium , L. a smaller plant with white flowers. 
• Nuttige Iodische PJanten, part HI, 100. 
