An introduction to the study of materia medica : being a short account of the more important crude drugs of vegetable and animal origin designed for students of pharmacy and medicine / by Henry G. Greenish.

  • Greenish, Henry G. (Henry George), 1855-1933.
Date:
1899
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An introduction to the study of materia medica : being a short account of the more important crude drugs of vegetable and animal origin designed for students of pharmacy and medicine / by Henry G. Greenish. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    CALABAR BEANS (Semina Physostigmatis) Source &C.—Calabar beans are the ripe seeds of Physostignia venenosum, Balfour (N.O. Leguminosce), a woody climbing plant indigenous to the west coast of Africa, especially near the mouths of the Old Calabar and Niger rivers. It ascends trees and, drooping down, bears pendulous racemes of flowers. These are succeeded by legumes about 6 or 7 inches in length, in each of which two or three large seeds are contained. Calabar beans have long been used on the west coast of Africa as a test to demonstrate the guilt or confirm the innocence of suspected criminals or witches. The accused was compelled to swallow the crushed seeds mixed with water: if he succumbed to the poison, his guilt was considered proved ; hence they were termed ' ordeal' beans. They became known in England in 1840 ; their power of contracting the pupil of the eye was dis- covered by Praser in 1862. Fig. G5.—Calabar Beau. A, side view, showing the sub-ieniform shape. B, edge, showing the long liilum. C, Seed split open, showing the concave cotyledons. (Maisch.) Description.—Calabar beans are dark reddish brown or chocolate brown in colour and of considerable size, averagmg about 1 inch in length, f inch in breadth, and i inch in thickness. They are usually oblong-reniform in shape, being nearly flat or only sHghtly convex on one side, but boldly curved on the other. Along nearly the entire length of the curved side, and passing completely round one end of the seed, runs a broad deep groove, the lips of which are thickened and paler m colour, and the bottom of which is