48 O B S E R VAT I O N S on 



the ifland Ceos, where he faw an -example of 

 it*. 



Theophrastus fays, that Thrafyas, a 

 great phyficiany had invented a compofition, 

 which would caufe death without any pain ; 

 and that this w-is prepared with the juice of 

 hemlock and poppy together, and did the 

 bufinefs in a fmall dofe j\ 



The cicuta major was called conium by 

 DIcfcorides and Theophraftus. Linnaeus has 

 expreffed his doubts with regard to the poi- 

 fonous effedsof this plant, and has retained 

 the old name conium. Contradidlion and 

 confufion appear in the various accounts 

 which authors give us of hemlock : and 

 many accidents Jald to have been the effedls 

 of cicuta, were certainly produced by water 

 hemlock, or the oenanthe crocata. It appears 

 extremely abfurd, that the fame name ihould 

 be applied to two plants, which have fo little 

 refemblance to e^ ch other, as the cicuta ma- 

 jor, and cicuta aquatica. They bear their 



* Valer. Max. lib. il. c. 6. §. 8. 

 t Hift. Plant. lib. ix. c. 17. 



flowers 



