133 On the Polfonous Honey 



and I cannot help fufpefting that the ufe of this honey may 

 prove injurious*. 



Some of the ancient writers of Greece and Rome have re- 

 lated inftances of the deleterious properties of the honey of 

 certain countries. The botanilt Diofcorides, fpeaking of the 

 rhododendron ponticum, a fpecies of the fame genus to 

 which our mountain laurel belongs, has the following words: 

 ** About Heraclea I'ontica, at certain ieafons of the year, the 

 honey occafions madnefs in thofe who cat of it; and this is 

 undoubtedly owing to the quality of the flowers from which 

 the honey is diftilled. This honey occafions an abundant 

 fwcating; but the patients arc eafed by giving them rue, falt- 

 meats, and mctheglin, in proportion as they vomit. This 

 honey," continues the Greek botanift, " is very acid, and 

 caufes fneezing. It tak«s away rednefs from the face, when 

 pounded with coftus. Mixed with fait or aloes, it difperfes 

 the black fpofs which remain after bruifes. If dogs or fwine 

 fwallow the excrements of perfons who have eaten of this 

 honev, they fall into the fame accidentsf." 



Plmy has alfo taken notice of this poifonous honey. *'In 

 fome years," iiavs the Roman naturalift, " the honey is very 

 dangerous about Heraclea Pontica. It is not known to 

 authors from what flowers the bees extraft this honey. 

 Here is what we have learned of the matter. In thofe parts, 

 there is a plant called cegolcthron, whofe flowers in a wet 

 fpring acquire a very dangerous quality, when they fade. 

 The honey which the bees make of them is more liquid than 

 ufnal, more heavy, and redder. Its fmell caufes fneezing. 

 Thofe who have eaten of it fweat exccflively, lie upon the 

 ground, and call lor nothing but cool drinks;};.'" He then 

 inakes the very remarks which I have quoted from Diofco- 

 rides, whofe words, indeed, as JNIr. Tournefort obferves, he 

 fcems to have merely tronflated. The following remark, 

 however, appears to belong to Pliny. " Upon the fame 

 coad of the Pontus, there is found another fort of honev, 

 which is called m£enomenon§, becaufe thofe who eat of it 

 are rendered mad. It is fuppofed, the bees colle6l it from 

 the flowers of the rhododendros, which is common among 

 the forefts. The people of thofe parts, although they pay the 

 Romans a part of their tribute in wax, arc very cautious liow 

 they ofi'er them their honey + ." 



' See tlie late Dr. Samuel Cooper's Inaugural DiCcrtarion on the Pro- 

 p'Ttics and Eii'ttls of the Datura Stramonium, p. 33. Philadelphia, 1797. 



■f- n.filciirides, Bi ijuottd by Mr. Tournefort. 



* C. Piinii Sccundi Nituralis Hifiorse Lib. xxi- cap. ij. 



•> From t!ie Gretk vcTh.^aivSjUai, iufanio. 



The 



