Dr. Hancock's Remarks on Snaks-Poisons. 333 



The application of cupping-glasses to poisoned wounds was 

 proposed long ago, by Mr. Hume, of London. They would, 

 doubtless, be very effectual, yet less so, perhaps, than the 

 united action of the mouth and fingers, exerted instantly ; and 

 the apparatus can seldom or never be had at the moment 

 required. The same mode of cure was directed by Celsus, 

 and others of the ancients. 



Since these observations were made, I have observed, with 

 some surprise, this method again spoken of as a new discovery 

 by an English gentleman in Paris, and in some of the Pari- 

 sian and English journals, intermingled with some doubtful 

 theories respecting the influence of the atmospheric pressure 

 on the circulation of the blood. 



On the subject of alexipharmics, I may observe, that those 

 plants which are regarded as alexiterial, as antidotes or coun- 

 terpoisons, are chiefly those eminently bitter, aromatic, and 

 piquant, being the most powerful warm sudorifics. It is 

 worthy of remark, and no slight proof of the ascribed virtues 

 in such plants, that in all ages and countries, amongst civilized 

 and savage people, we find similar virtues ascribed to plants of 

 the above description. We know that the corymbiferse afford 

 many examples of this sort ; but the guaco, although of this 

 natural order, is almost destitute of the forenamed sensible 

 properties. 



When we consider the perverse bent, the erroneous tendency 

 of the human mind, and the sources of fallacy and deception 

 just hinted at, it will not appear strange, that, amongst a de- 

 luded, superstitious, and credulous people, the plant should 

 obtain such unrivalled fame and be admitted as a sovereign 

 remedy, after being so extravagantly lauded by so influential, 

 so celebrated, and infallible a man as Don Celestino Mutis, at 

 once a divine, a philosopher, and a botanist! I pretend not 

 to any positive proofs against the antidotal powers of the 

 guaco ; but I assert that our evidences in favour of this 

 reputed sovereign remedy are of a most suspicious character, 

 and before it is worthy of implicit confidence, its powers 

 should be duly investigated by direct experiments made for 

 the purpose *. 



* This, and several paragraphs here, are taken verbatim from a letter which I 



APRIL— JUNE, 1830. Z 



