CHAPTER X. 



Maglcaf pPant/, 



N remote ages, the poisonous or medicinal pro- 

 perties of plants were secrets learnt by the most 

 intelligent and observant members of pastoral 

 and nomadic tribes and clans ; and the possessor 

 of these secrets became often both medicine-man 

 and priest, reserving to himself as much as possible 

 the knowledge he had acquired of herbs and 

 their uses, and particularly of those that would 

 produce stupor, delirium, and madness ; for by these means he 

 could produce in himself and others many startling and weird 

 manifestations, which the ignorance of his fellows would cause 

 them to attribute to Divine or supernatural causes. The Zuckuugen, 

 or convulsions, ecstacies, temporary madness, and ravings, that 

 formerly played so important a part in the oracular and sacerdotal 

 ceremonies, and which survive even at the present day, had their 

 origin in the tricks played by the ancient medicine-man in order 

 to retain his influence over his superstitious brethren. The 

 exciting and soporific properties of certain herbs and plants, and 

 the peculiar phenomena which, in skilful hands, they could be 

 made to produce in the victim, were well known to the ancient 

 seers and priests, and so were easily foretold ; while the symptoms 

 and effects could be varied accordingly as the plants were dried, 

 powdered, dissolved in water, eaten freshly gathered, or burnt as 

 incense on the altars. The subtle powers of opiates obtained from 

 certain plants were among the secrets carefully preserved by the 

 magi and priests. 



According to Prosper Alpinus, dreams of paradise and celestial 

 visions were produced among the Egyptians by the use of Opium ; 

 and Kaempfer relates that after having partaken of an opiate in 

 Persia, he fell into an ecstatic state, in which he conceived himself 

 to be flying in the air beyond the clouds, and associating with 

 celestial beings. 



From the juice of the Hemp, the Egyptians have for ages pre- 

 pared an intoxicatmg extract, called Hashish, which is made up into 



