270 SOLANE^ 



the Indian fell into a heavy stupor, sat with his eyes vacantly fixed on the 

 ground, his mouth convulsively closed, and his nostrils dilated. In a short 

 time the eyes rolled wildly, foam issued from his mouth, and at length he 

 slept for several hours. He then awoke, and a crowd of eager listeners 

 gathered around him as he related the details of his late vision, during which 

 he affirmed he had had an interview with the spirits of his forefathers. 



Those human scourges, the Poisoners of India, noM' nearly extinct, used a 

 species of Thorn-apple in their cruel practices. " The Poisoners," says Sir 

 Joseph Hooker, "all belong to one caste, of Pasie, or dealers in toddy; they 

 go singly or in gangs, haunting the travellers' resting-places, where they drop 

 half a rupee weight of pounded or whole Datura seeds into his food, producing 

 a twenty-four hours' intoxication, during which he is robbed, and left to 

 recover, or sink under the stupefying effects of the narcotic." One of them 

 told this traveller that the Datura seed is gathered Avithout ceremony, and at 

 any time, place, or age of the plant. He was "a dirty, ill-conditioned 

 fellow." 



The seeds of the Thorn-apple are believed by some to have been used by 

 the priests of the Delphic temple to procure the wild and frensied utterances 

 of the oracle. According to Professor Lindley, those of D. sanguinea were cer- 

 tainly used for a similar purpose in the Temple of the Sun at Sagomozo, 

 which lies among the mountains of the Andes. 



The French call the Thorn-apple Stramonie ; the Germans, Sfechapfel ; the 

 Dutch, Doorna/ppel ; the Italians, Sframonia ; the Spaniards, Estram.onio. 

 Stramonium is from the G-reek word signifying Mad-apple, and Metel, or 

 Methel, is an old Arabic name for the plant, expressive of its narcotic effects. 

 The Chinese are forbidden by law from mingling this plant with their 

 fermented liquors. 



The Thorn-apple, naturalized in some degree in England, was introduced 

 (according to Gerarde) into thiscoimtry from Constantinople about 1597 ; but 

 Miller says that we probably received it from Italy or Spain. Gerarde men- 

 tions that a salve for bui-ns and scalds was made of its leaves ; and he tells us 

 that the plant was by him "dispersed through this land." Kalm says of the 

 Thorn-apple, that this and a species of Phytolacca are the worst weeds in 

 America ; and Professor Martin remarks, that in the earth brought around 

 plants from various parts of that extensive country, we are sure to have the 

 Thorn-apple spring up. The flowers are very graceful and delicate, and are 

 shielded during night by the leaves which surround them, and Avhich rise at 

 that time and enclose them. The whole plant has a strong odour of bean 

 meal, and every part is poisonous. A variety of the common species has 

 been found by Dr. Bromfield at Southsea, Avith purple stems and flowers. 



2. Henbane (Hyoscyamus). 



Common Henbane (H. niger). — Leaves clasping and cut ; stem much 

 branched ; flowers nearly sessile, axillary ; annual or biennial. The flower 

 and the dull foliage of the Henbane would readily suggest to any observant 

 person the probability of the poisonous nature of the plant. Growing on a 

 rounded branched stem, two or three feet high, which, as well as the foliage, 



