Strychnos Nux-vomica

This is a native of the Coromandel coast

and Cochin-China. It bears an orange-like fruit, containing seeds

that have an intensely bitter taste, owing to the presence of two

most energetic poisons, _strychnine_ and _brucine_. The pulp

surrounding the seeds is said to be harmless, and greedily eaten

by birds. The wood of the plant is hard and bitter, and possesses

similar properties to the seeds, but in a less degree. It is used

in India in intermittent fevers and in cases of snake bites. _S.

tiente_ is a Java shrub, the juice of which is used in poisoning

arrows. _S. toxifera_ yields a frightful poison called Ourari or

Wourari, employed by the natives of Guiana. This is considered to

be the most potent sedative in nature. Several species of

_Strychnos_ are considered infallible remedies for snake bites;

hence are known as snakewood. _S. pseudo-quina_, a native of

Brazil, yields Colpache bark, which is much used in that country

in cases of fever, and is considered equal to quinine in value. It

does not contain strychnine, and its fruits are edible. _S.

potatorum_ furnishes seeds known in India as clearing-nuts, on

account of their use in clearing muddy water. St. Ignatius beans

are supposed to be yielded by a species of Strychnos, from the

quantity of strychnine contained in the seeds.