Penfylvdriia, Philadelphia. 6t 



people, yet does not in the leaft affeft others. 

 And therefore one perfon can handle the tree as 

 he pleafes, cut it, peel -off its bark, rub it or 

 the wood upon his hands, fmell at it, fpread the 

 juice upon his fkin, and make more experiments, 

 with no inconvenience to himfelf ; another per- 

 ibn, on the contrary, dares not meddle with the 

 tree, while its wood is frefh, nor can he venture 

 to touch a hand which has handled it, nor even 

 to expofe himfelf to the fmoke of a fire which is 

 made with this wood, without foon feeling its 

 bad effefts; for the face, the hands, and fre- 

 quently the whole body, fvvells exceffively, and 

 is affecled with a very acute pain. Sometimes 

 bladders or blifters arife in great plenty, and 

 make the rick perfon look as if he was infected 

 by a leprofy. In fome people the external thin 

 fkin, or cuticle, peels off in a few days, as is the 

 cafe when a perfon has fcalded or burnt any part 

 of his body. Nay, the nature of fome perfons 

 will not even allow them to approach the place 

 where the tree grows, or to expofe themfelves to 

 the wind, when it carries the effluvia or exhala- 

 tions of this tree with it, without letting them 

 feel the inconvenience of the fwelling, which I 

 have juft now defcribed. Their eyes are fome- 

 times mut up for one, or two and more days to- 

 gether, by the fwelling. I know two brothers, 

 one of whom could without danger handle this 

 tree in what manner he pleafed, whereas the 

 other could not come near it without fwelling. 

 A perfon fometimes does not know that he has 

 touched this poifonous plant, or that he has been 

 near it, before his face and hands {hew it bjr 



their 



