lOS On the Poisonous Qualities of the 



ing it on objects to be varnished, having produced such extra- 

 ordinary effects on Signior Ignatio, and more remarkably on 

 his maid-servant, viz. great swellings of their heads and eyes, 

 and in their arms, and indeed almost their whole body, with an 

 intolerable itching, inflammation and pimples, is so new and 

 extraordinary as to call forth our wonder and curiosity. There 

 are indeed some juices of roots and herbs, which by touching 

 our flesh either inflame or ulcerate it, or produce swellings, 

 pustules, and itchings ; but all these cause the disorder only 

 where they touch, and do not spread their invisible venom over 

 other parts of the body. In short, I know not an instance of 

 any one thing, which, either touched with the hand, or in-/ 

 sinuating itself by its fumes into our body, is able to produce 

 almost over the whole skin inflammations, swellings, itchiness, 

 and pustules, as if the whole body were stung with an infinite 

 number of wasps, for such are exactly the effects produced by 

 this varnish. 



^' This varnish exerts all its malignity against the skin, the 

 viscera and blood being untouched ; besides, I observed that the 

 maid, at the same time that almost her whole skin was hard, 

 inflamed, swelled, and full of pustules, had yet no fever, no 

 pain in the head, nor any inward illness. This varnish, there- 

 fore, is only an enemy to the skin ; and that this mischief 

 should attend it, it is not necessary that the varnish should be 

 heated, for when cold it emits the same steams, which insinuate 

 themselves into the body, especially when touched and hand- 

 led. 



" I have several times spread a great deal of this varnish 

 hot upon the naked skin of poultry, and they never received 

 any hurt from it either internal or external. I have caused 

 other fowls to swallow crumbs of bread steeped in the varnish, 

 and they seemed to like it very well ; others I have pricked in 

 the heart till the blood came, and then anointed it all over with 

 varnish, which, instead of hurting them, proved a balsam to heal 

 them. Having once, however, spread some of it on the naked 

 breast of some fowls, leaving it sticking there for three days, 

 I afterwards found between the dried varnish and the flesh, 

 the place all festered, and full of a yellowish serum, but with- 

 out any further harm. I have attempted the same thing on 



