278 VEGETABLE POISONS. 



He remarks, that the poisou must be dried on the instrument, 

 before it be struck into the animal, which we intend to kill : for if 

 it be liquid, it remains on the outside of the wound, while the instru- 

 ment penetrates into the flesh : in which case, either the animal dies 

 not all, or at least with great difficulty : as it happened with regard 

 to a wolf, which did not die, though the arrow above-mentioned 

 was struck into one of his thighs ; because the poison, which it re- 

 tained from the dip, continued liquid, and remained on the outside 

 of the wound made by the arrow in piercing the flesh. Therefore 

 time must be allowed for the poison to become hard on the instru- 

 ment, which is intended to be used ; that so, entering into the 

 wound together with the weapon, it may be there diluted, and car- 

 ried in the course of the circulation to those parts which it must 

 effect, in order to cause death. 



M. Fontana's observations on the same poisons in a dried state, 

 seem to prove that the fume of the material whether inhaled or 

 smelled into, is very innocent. That it was perfectly soluble in 

 water, even cold, and in mineral acids as well as vegetable. That 

 it did not effervesce with alkalies, nor acids, nor caused any change 

 in milk. That it neither turned the acid of radishes red nor green. 

 That this poison had no more effect when applied to the eye, than 

 if it were bathed in water. That if taken internally it proves dele- 

 terious, but that a considerable quantity is required to kill even a 

 small animal. By passing threads impregnated with the poison, 

 and then dried, through the skins of rabbits and Guinea pigs, and 

 other animals, they died in a short time. If applied to the skin 

 lightly scratched in birds and quadrupeds, it proves for the most part 

 mortal, although not always. 



A hundredth part of a grain will kill a small animal ; but the 

 poison must be dissolved, either to occasion death, or any disorder 

 of the animal economy. Where there are fewer blood vessels, the 

 poison is the least efficacious. If the poison be applied, being pre- 

 viously dissolved in the mineral acids, its effects seem to be destroy- 

 ed. Rum and vinegar seem not to extinguish its effects j and even 

 the acids seem useless and dangerous, when applied to the muscles 

 of an animal. It requires a more considerable time to act than the 

 venom of the viper. The effects of both poisons may be reme- 

 died by a ligature round the limb* or by amputation, if done in 

 time. 



