OF NORTH AMERICA. 65 



This honey is bitter, and has much of the poilbnous 

 fmell. Bees quafFit. But admitting that it is of a poi- 

 fonous nature, it does not follow tliat our cultivated bees 

 (if I may be allowed to ufe this expreffion) will colled: 

 fo much of this honey as to prove injurious to thofe who 

 eat of it. But, in particular places, where this plant has 

 been permitted to increafe to a great degree, large quan- 

 tities of honey may be colledted from it : and 1 cannot 

 help fufpeding thr.t the ufe of this honey may prove 

 injurious*. 



Some of the ancient writers of Greece and Rome 

 have related inftances of the deleterious properties of the 

 honey of certain countries. The botanift Diofcorides, 

 fpeaking of the rhododendron ponticum, a fpecies of the 

 fame genus to which our mountain laurel belongs, has the 

 following words : "About Heraclea Pontica, at certain 

 feafons of the year, the honey occalions madnefs in thofe 

 who eat of it; and this is undoubtedly owing to the qua- 

 Uty of the flov%^ers from which the honey is dlftilled. 

 This honey occafions an abundant fv/eating, but the pa- 

 tients are eafed by giving them rue, fait- meats, and me- 

 theglln, in proportion as they vomit. This honey," conti- 

 nues the Greek botanill:, '' is very acid, and caufes fneezing. 

 It takes away rednefs from the lace, when pounded with 

 coflus. Mixed with fait or aloes, it difperfes the black 

 fpots which remain after bruifes. If dogs or fwine fwal- 

 low the excrements of perlons who have eaten of this 

 honey, they fall into the lame accidents.'^" 



Pliny has alfo taken notice of this poifonous honev. 

 " In fome vears," fays the Roman naturallft, "the honey is 

 very dangerous about Heraclea Pontica. It is not known to 



Vol. V. 1 authors 



* See the late Dr. Samuel Cooper's Inaugural Difiertation on the 

 Properties and Effefts of the Datura Stramonium, p. 33. Philadelphia, 



1797- 



f Diokorides, as quoted by Mr. Tournefort. 



