146 Miscellaneous Facts and Observations. 



ning of September. — It is not probable that the mere 

 effluvium from this offensive plant does produce the 

 fevers that were ascribed to it. And yet it is to be 

 observed, that a similar opinion concerning the Da- 

 tura was entertained by some of the physicians in 

 New- York, towards the close of the American revo- 

 lutionary war. 



Editor's MS. Medical Journal, 

 for 1793. 



18. The Stramonium is, unquestionably, a south- 

 ern plant, and is gradually diffusing itself into many 

 parts of the United- States, &c, in which, a few years 

 since, it was entirely unknown. In September, 1797, 

 a solitary plant was shown to the Editor at Wilkes- 

 barre, in the Wyoming settlement, where it was 



deemed a great curiosity, and a new-comer. By 



what means it is so extensively diffused through the 

 country, seems difficult to conceive. It does not 

 seem to be eaten by any of the regularly-migrating 

 birds. It is, indeed, sometimes eaten by the domes- 

 tic turkey, which is essentially injured by it. 



19. The Stramonium is one of those narcotic vege- 

 tables, which, when taken in large quantity, some- 

 times induce the disease of Tetanus. About the 

 year 1765, when some of the British troops, under 

 Sir John Sinclair, were stationed in the vicinity 



