The action of poisoned arrows obtained from the Aros District of Nigeria / by Frank Charteris.

  • Charteris, Francis J.
Date:
[1905]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The action of poisoned arrows obtained from the Aros District of Nigeria / by Frank Charteris. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    THE ACTION OF POISONED ARROWS OBTAINED FROM THE AROS DISTRICT OF NIGERIA.^ By frank CHARTERIS, M.B. Last spring two sets of poisoned arrows were sent to the materia medica department of the University, with the request that their action should be investigated, and the nature of the poison determined. Dr. Teacher, who brought the arrows, stated that they had been collected by Mr. Scott in the expedition against the Aros. The account given by Mr. Scott was somewhat imperfect, but it appeared that the arrows were of two types—a smaller variety in use in the inland districts, and larger arrows employed by the tribes living nearer the coast. As regards the activity of the two sets, ]\Ir. Scott indicated that the smaller variety were dreaded chiefly for the poisonous action, while the larger arrows were feared more for the large wound which they inflicted. Both sets of arrows were well made, consisting of light wooden shafts, tipped with long iron points, which, in most cases, were barbed. The poisonous substance was applied to the iron points in the form of a thin coating about one-sixteenth of an inch in thickness. The consistence of this coating diflered in the two types. The smaller arrows w-ere covered with a very dry and brittle substance, while in the larger arrows the substance was not brittle, but tough and leathery, resembling in consistence one of the official extracts of the Fharmacopozia. The dry, brittle poison was much less soluble in water than the other form. The small arrows proved to be poisoned with a cardio-muscular poison belonging to the digitalis group. In all probability the actual poison employed was strophanthus. The poison was scraped from the arrows and treated wdth water. Though only a small amount of the substance dissolved, this solution proved highly toxic for frogs. Injected into the dorsal lymph sac, it caused no irritation. For about fifteen minutes or so the frog remains perfectly well. Then it begins 1 The expenses of this investigation were met out of a grant from tlie Carnegie Institute. gT -.ii Y i Lib . ■ ■ ■■' '