of Edinburgh, Session 1869 - 70 . 
99 
by placing the sink at the vertex of any conducting surface of 
revolution which joins the hemisphere. From these hemisphere 
cases, obvious cases of half and quarter hemispheres follow. 
4. On the Kombi Arrow-Poison (Strophanthus hispidus, DC.) 
of the Manganja district of Africa. By Dr Thomas Pt. 
Fraser. 
(A bstract.) 
In nearly every narrative of exploration in uncivilised tropical 
regions, accounts are given, often no doubt somewhat fanciful, of 
poisonous substances which are said to possess the most remark¬ 
able properties. Usually these poisons are of vegetable origin ; and 
the great majority may be included in the two divisions of ordeal 
and of arrow poisons, according as they are applied to one or other 
of these purposes. Among the most remarkable of the ordeal- 
poisons are the Tanghinia venifera of Madagascar, the Physostigma 
venenosum of Old Calabar, and the Akazga poison of the Gaboon; 
and of the arrow-poisons , the famous Curara or Wourali of South 
America, and the Antiaris toxicaria of Java. 
The examination of these substances has not only proved of 
great value to physiology, but practical medicine has likewise been 
benefited—one of them, at least, being now an important medicinal 
agent. 
In bringing before the Society a few of the results of a recent 
examination of a new arrow-poison, the author has to express his 
gratitude to the President, who very kindly gave him the specimens 
of poison with which the experiments have been made. These 
specimens, consisting of a number of ripe follicles, were sent to Dr 
Christison by Mr Walker, and were collected in the expedition of 
the late Bishop M‘Kenzie. 
Several specimens of the poison have likewise been sent to Pro¬ 
fessor Sharpey by Dr Kirk, H.M. consul at Zanzibar. Dr Kirk 
says “that the plant is a woody climber, growing in the forest, both 
of the valley and hills, and found at various places between the 
coast and the centre of the continent, above the Victoria Falls of 
the Zambesi. The stem is several inches in diameter, and rough 
outside. The plant climbs up the highest trees, and hangs from 
