Vegetable Varnishes from India and America lOB 



dogs and cats, but without success, for these animals with their 

 tongues and claws soon take off all the varnish from their bo^ 

 dies, and take no hurt by it." 



The poisonous qualities of the Japan varnish are mentioned 

 also by Kaempfer, who states that it exhales a poisonous va- 

 pour, which occasions great pains in the head, and causes the 

 lips of those who handle it to swell ; on which account the ar- 

 tificers when they use it are obliged to tie a handkerchief over 

 the nose and mouth to prevent these effects. 



Although the Poison Wood tree of New England, the Rhus 

 vernioc of Linnaeus, is different from the varnish trees of 

 India, yet it resembles them in its poisonous qualities. The 

 Honourable Paul Dudley informs us that it poisons two 

 ways, " either by the touching or handling of it, and that 

 its scent when cut down in the woods, or on the fire, has 

 poisoned persons to a very great degree. One of my neigh- 

 bours was blind for above a week together with only handling 

 it, and a gentleman in the country, when sitting by his fireside 

 in the winter, was swelled for several days with the smoke or 

 flame of some poisonous wood that was in the fire. It has this 

 effect only on some particular persons and constitutions, for I 

 have seen my own brother not only handle but chew it without 

 any harm at all ; so that by the sAme fire one shall be poisoned, 

 and another not at all affected. But this sort of poison is never 

 mortal, and will go ofi' in a few days by itself like the sting of 

 a bee ; but generally the person applies plantain water, or sal- 

 lad oil and cream. As to its operation within a few hours 

 after the person is poisoned, he feels an itching pain that pro- 

 vokes a scratching, which is followed by an inflammation and 

 swelling ; sometimes a man's legs only have been poisoned and 

 have run with water."" 



Dr William Sherard, in describing the same tree, states, that 

 the wood is as cold as ice, and that when laid on the fire, out 

 of five or six persons sitting by it, some will swoon, faint, or 

 yawn, continuing so for some days, others but a few hours, 

 and others of the company not at all. I handle, says he, cut, 

 and burn it with impunity, and so it is with several others, I 

 suppose according to their constitutions. It was never known 

 to kill any body, but only to do hurt to some persons.'' 



