Experiments with plants alleged to be used as abortifacients and ecbolics by natives

Abstract

The plants, which are alleged to be used abortifacients and ecbolics by the natives of Uganda, were submitted by the Director of Medical Services, Uganda, for investigation. It is stated that the pregnant women drink infusions prepared from about a handful of the leaves and roots of the plants and that their use is often attended with disastrous results. In the experiments conducted at Onderstepoort the infusions were prepared by extracting 40 gm of ground dry plants with 300 c.c. of tap-water for two hours at 50° C. On each clay of the experiment the infusions were freshly prepared before dosing. As the infusions apparently had no effect on the pregnant rabbits the plant material itself was administered also with negative results.