234 Botanical Society of Edinburgh. 



presented alarming symptoms. Notwithstanding the recent prevalence 

 of Datura-poisoning, it has been only on the presumptive evidence of 

 its characteristic symptoms that its action has been inferred. The 

 poison is administered so stealthily, and the natives are so backward 

 in aiding the cause of justice, that it is next to impossible to obtain 

 positive evidence of the administration of the poison, or to trace it to 

 the culprit ; although, from their familiarity with its nature and 

 with the modes of its administration, it is evident that many of the 

 lower orders of the people are acquainted with the adepts who employ 

 it. These remarks, however, apply, with equal truth, to cases of 

 poisoning by such substances as arsenic and corrosive sublimate, the 

 presence of which may be determined by the surer methods of che- 

 mical analysis. From the information Dr. Giraud has been able to 

 collect from natives, it would appear that the seeds are the parts of 

 the plant usually administered. They are powdered and thrown into 

 rice, bajree, and other grains ; or mixed up with cakes and sweetmeats. 

 Sometimes, however, an infusion or decoction of the leaves is prepared 

 and introduced into the vessels in which food is being cooked ; but 

 of the usual quantities of the seeds employed, or of the strength of 

 the infusion and decoction, Dr. Giraud has had no means of judging. 

 Of the cause that has produced so sudden and remarkable an increase 

 in the use of this poison, it is difficult to form any conjecture. View- 

 ing the most prevalent motive to Datura-poisoning, it would seem as 

 if some regularly organized band of thieves had, within the last year, 

 invaded our island. From 1837 and 1838, when a few cases of 

 poisoning supposed to be from Datura were noticed by Drs. Bell and 

 M'Lennan, in the annual reports of the Native General Hospital, up 

 to 1848, only from six to ten such cases have been annually recorded ; 

 but during the past year, fifty-one cases have come under hospital 

 treatment. 



In a note received by Dr. Cleghorn from the Superintendent of 

 Thuggee in Mysore, it was stated, that the seeds of Datura alba 

 were employed by thieves and other rogues to narcotise their victims, 

 and deprive them of the power of resistance. 



5. "Report on the State of Vegetation in the Edinburgh Botanic 

 Garden." By Mr. M'Nab. 



A note was read from Mr. Babington, stating that Ranunculus 

 trichophyllus, mentioned by Mr. Syme as found near Edinburgh, is a 

 very common form of R. aquatilis. 



It was stated by Dr. Mitchell, that the plant called by Dr. Howitt 

 (Enanthe pimpinelloides, and for which he gives several stations in 

 his ' Flora of Nottingham,' is CE. Lachenalii. It is very abundant in 

 the blue lias districts. All the Leicestershire stations for CE. pim- 

 pinelloides are those of (E. Lachenalii, the former species not being 

 found either in Leicestershire or Nottinghamshire. These facts 

 render it probable that (E. Lachenalii is not so " rare in fresh water," 

 as it is said to be both in Babington' s ' Manual,' and in the last 

 edition of Hooker's 'Flora' ; the mistake has doubtless arisen from 

 the roots not having been examined. Specimens of the plant were 

 sent by Dr. Mitchell. 



