982 SOLANACEZ. 
philtres, which appears to be explained by the sensual excites | 
ment and hallucinations that are observed in datura poisoning. — 
Like many other medicinal plants Mandrake appears always to 
have been collected with certain superstitious ceremonies ; it was 
supposed that it could only be drawn from the ground without 
danger to the collector by the assistance of a dog, who, after 
the earth round the root had been removed, was tied to it by 
the neck and beaten until his struggles effected its extraction, 
and not unfrequently the death of the animal. The ancients 
speak of two kinds of Mandragora, male and female, the former 
has been identified as M. vernalis, Berth.; it has larger leaves 
and fruit than M. officinarum. From the time of Theophrastus 
up to the fifth century of our era the superstitions which have 
surrounded the mandrake appear to have gradually multiplied: 
we then find it spoken of as anthropomorphon and semi-homo, 
and described as having a human form and wonderful fertilizing a 
powers. In the Middle Ages it became a mystical magic root, 
which existed only in fancy, and was represented by a fictitious 
image in the form of a man or woman manufactured from some 
other root, and used by priests and charlatans as a charm. It 
is the Alrina of German mythology, which was believed to be — 
a gallow’s mannikin sprung from the seed of men who were 
hanged; that when pulled out of the earth by a black dog it 
shrieked like a child.* Tt came to be regarded as a kind of 
talisman or fetish which could bring good fortune to its pos- 
sessor. In France it was known as Mandagloire or Maglore (main _ 
de gloire), and was regarded as a kind of fairy which if well 
: breatod. would bring good luck to its owner. 
Chéruel (Dict. Hist. des meurs et coutumes de la France) gives 
the following extract from an anonymous diary of the 15th cen- 
tury:—‘En ce temps, frére Richard, cordelier, fit ardre plusieurs 
madagfoures (mandragores) que maintes sottes gens gardoient 
et avoient si grant foi en cette ordure, que pour vrai ils croyoient 
fermement que, tant comme ils l’avoient, pourva qu il fut en 
beaux drapennsteagie: ou de lin enveloppé, jamais ils ne seroient 4 ; 
: *DeG k ti ee PM ete ahd Abruzzes, itis still exé sy 
tracted from the ground in this maar nee 
