840 J A M A 1 C A. 



that thcv generally vomited in a fliort time, and continued to com- 

 plain ol" a burning heat in the mouth, throat, and ftomach, for fe- 

 veral hours alter. He adds, that he never iiad known any one to 

 die by eating this fruit, though he had feen fome who had eaten 

 ftine or fen ot the apples at a time; and that oily emullions and 

 mixtures give fpeedy relief to thole who are difordered with 

 them. Barham, indeed, mentions the cafe of a Negroe man, who 

 ate feveral of them, with a wilful and premeditated defign of de- 

 flroying himfelf ; that he complained of great heat and burning in 

 his flomacli, but could not vomit; that his tongue fwelled,-his 

 eyes were red and flaring ; and he was inceiiantly calling for water 

 till he expired. Confidering this Negroe's intention to commit 

 felf-murder, as well as the iymptoms which followed, I think we 

 may conclude, that he chofe the green, and not the ripe fruit for 

 the purpofe. 



The white land-crabs are fond both of the leaves and fruit. But 

 I have known perfons taken extremely fick at their fl:om?chs after 

 eating thefe crabs, and who were not relieved until they had dif- 

 gorged, by drinking plentifully of warm water and oil. I re- 

 member a Negroe who continued ill for three days, from a meal 

 he had made on thefe crabs, but, without recourfe to medicine, 

 was relieved by natural evacuations downwards, and was perfectly 

 well after them. 



■ Sir Hans Sloane gives us an example of a turner, whofe eye be- 

 came extremely inflamed and fwelled with fome of the juice, 

 which fpurted into it as he was felling one of thefe trees. Sir 

 Hans ordered him to be bled, gave him a purge of extr. nid. and 

 ordered him to wet his eye very often in cold water, and apply wet 

 brown-paper continually, to cool the part. With thefe applica- 

 tions he was cured in three days. 



He likewife fpeaks of a man who zlefour of the apples, yet was 

 not much hurt. 



It is plain froni hence, that the trunk and unripe fruit contain an 

 acrid juice, which operates like other materials of the like nature, 

 exciting heat, irritation, and thirft, when Iwallowed and received 

 into the flomach, producing fuch a pungency on the throat, and 

 tender, nervous coats expofed to its adtion, as greatly to diforder the 



whole 



