138 FLORA HOMCEOPATHICA. 



collect the juice of the R. vernix. He had always supposed 

 himself exempt from liability to the poison. Day warm ; the 

 effluvium from the incisions we made in the trees was very 

 powerful: we were exposed an hour, he less than myself. His 

 own account of the symptoms is as follows : c I felt no un- 

 pleasant effects for six or seven hours, when I perceived the 

 backs of my hands were swollen and puffy, without pain or 

 itching; my forehead and upper lip were soon in the same 

 state. The following morning the tumefactions had increased, 

 and other parts were infected ; the backs of my hands and 

 wrists began to show small watery vesicles. No applications 

 were made till about noon ; I then applied cloths dipped in 

 lead- water to one hand and wrist, and a spirituous solution of 

 corrosive muriate of mercury to the other. From this and sub- 

 sequent trials I prefer lead The parts began to itch; the 

 tumefaction increased; vesication began to take place on the 

 swollen surface ; small pustules formed and ran into each other, 

 and at last some were as large as nutmegs. Next day my eyes 

 were nearly closed, from the swelling of my forehead, eye- 

 brows, and cheeks. The contents of the vesicles were perfectly 

 limpid ; inoculation from them to other parts had no effect, nor 

 at any other stage. The next evening the inflammation was at 

 its height ; the burning and itching intolerable. The following 

 day, pustules began to appear a little milky, and by night the 

 inflammation was evidently on the decline. This day I applied 

 an ointment of unguentum stramonii, etc. In a fortnight I was 

 able to leave my chamber, and had a new cuticle from the roots 

 of my hair on the forehead to my breast, and on the arms and 

 inside the thighs. During first five days, the pulse was increased 

 from ten to twenty strokes. The poison seemed to have a con- 

 siderable effect in relieving me from dyspeptic symptoms, and 

 also benefited a chronic inflammation of my eyes.' 



Ever since these plants have attracted the notice of naturalists 



5? 



and other persons, it has been observed that the susceptibility 

 of receiving their poisonous influence* exists in different con- 



