* 
(75) 
“ fequences, till fome time in the month of September, 1728, when 
“it happened that one Martha Boyfe, a fervant, who lived with a 
“ perfon that fold great quantities of this water, got a bottle of it 
“ from her miftrefs, and gave it to her mother, Ann Boyfe, asa 
“ very rich cordial. Ann Boyfe made a prefent of it to Frances 
“Eaton, her fifter, who was a fhopkeeper in town, and who the 
“ thought might oblige her cuftomers with it. Accordingly, in a 
“ few days, fhe gave about two ounces of the water to a woman 
* called Mary Whaley, who drank about two-thirds of what was 
“* filled out, and went away. Frances Eaton drank the reft. Ina 
“ quarter of an hour after Mary Whaley had drank the water, (as I 
“am informed) fhe complained of a violent diforder in her ftomach, 
*“ foon after loft her fpeech, and died in about an hour, without 
“ vomiting or purging, or any convulfion. 
“ The thopkeeper, F. Eaton, fent word to her fifter, Ann Boyfe, 
“ of what had happened, who came to her upon the meflage, and 
“ affirmed that it was not poffible the cordial (as the called it) could 
** have occafioned the death of the woman; and to convince her of 
“it, fhe filled out about three fpoonfuls, and drank it. She con- 
“ tinued talking with F. Eaton about two minutes longer, and was 
“ fo earneft to perfuade her of the liquor’s being inoffenfive, that fhe 
* drank two fpoonfuls more, but was hardly well feated in her chair 
“ when fhe died without the leaft groan or convulfion. Frances 
“ Eaton, who, as before obferved, had drank fomewhat above a 
** fpoonful, found no diforder in her ftomach or elfewhere ; but to 
“ prevent any ill confequence fhe took a vomit immediately, and 
“* has been well ever fince.” * 
Dr. Madden mentions another cafe of a gentleman at Kilkenny, 
who “ miftook a bottle of this laurel water for a bottle of ptifan ; 
“* what quantity he drank is uncertain, but he died in a few minutes, 
“ complaing of a violent diforder in his ftomach.” ce 
* See Phil. Tranf. vol. 37. p. 84. “ A letter from T. Madden. M. D. giving an 
account of two women being poifoned by the fimple diftilled water of Laurel-leaves, and of 
Several experiments upon dogs, by which it appearss. that this laurel is: one of the moft: | 
dangerous poifans hitherte known.”. 
In. 
