An iron barb is firmly
fastened to one end of a small wand of wood, ten inches or a foot
long, the other end of which, fined down to a long point, is nicely
fitted, though not otherwise secured, in the hollow of the reed,
which forms the arrow shaft.
The wood immediately below the iron
head is smeared with the poison. When the arrow is shot into an
animal, the reed either falls to the ground at once, or is very soon
brushed off by the bushes; but the iron barb and poisoned upper part
of the wood remain in the wound. If made in one piece, the arrow
would often be torn out, head and all, by the long shaft catching in
the underwood, or striking against trees. The poison used here, and
called kombi, is obtained from a species of strophanthus, and is very
virulent. Dr. Kirk found by an accidental experiment on himself that
it acts by lowering the pulse. In using his tooth-brush, which had
been in a pocket containing a little of the poison, he noticed a
bitter taste, but attributed it to his having sometimes used, the
handle in taking quinine. Though the quantity was small, it
immediately showed its power by lowering his pulse which at the time
had been raised by a cold, and next day he was perfectly restored.
Not much can be inferred from a single case of this kind, but it is
possible that the kombi may turn out a valuable remedy; and as
Professor Sharpey has conducted a series of experiments with this
substance, we look with interest for the results.
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