A preliminary notice of the akazga ordeal of West Africa, and of its active principle.

  • Fraser, Thomas R. (Thomas Richard), 1841-1920.
Date:
[1867], [©1867]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A preliminary notice of the akazga ordeal of West Africa, and of its active principle. 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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    by administering a proper dose, to produce effects with such rapidity as to prevent his- victim from completing the test of step])ing over a certain number of akazga sticks; while, should he so wish it, a very slight diminution of quantity will postpone the appearance of the symptoms, until this, in itself easy, task can be accomplished. Another point of interest is, that an alkaloid should be found so closely resembling strychnia in its chemical and phy- siological properties. There are seA^eral instances in which the same natural order produces very similar active principles, so that this is by no means an unexampled occurrence. In the Loganiaccas itself, strychnia, brucia, and igasuria already exist; and these are nearly identical in their physiological actions. In chemical properties, brucia and igasuria have much in common; and they are both readily distinguishable in this respect from strychnia. Akazgia conveniently completes this group, as its chemical properties are nearly allied to those of stiychnia, whilst its connection with all the members is maintained by the simi- larity of its physiological actions.