88 BEST'S ART OF ANGLING. 



as it were intoxicated ; but at the same time, I 

 affirm, that they are soon after killed ; for I am 

 not much of an opinion that they are rendered 

 vertiginous, and killed by the bitter and acrid, 

 or by some hitherto unknown qualities of these 

 berries, I will not, however, take upon me to 

 determine, whether fishes killed in this manner 

 may be safely eaten, but with Condronchius, I 

 am of opinion, that no danger attends the use of 

 them as an aliment, if they are gutted and boil- 

 ed as soon as taken. That these berries are hot, 

 and by no means cold, as all opiates certainly are, 

 as also Matthiolus, and others maintain, not- 

 withstanding their narcotic quality, is sufficient- 

 ly obvious from their acrid and bitter taste, as 

 also by the other effects produced by them, as 

 Condronchius has evidently demonstrated. This 

 same author is of opinion, that these berries are 

 by no means possessed of a poisonous and dele- 

 terious quality, and it is not by this, but by their 

 bitterness and primary qualities, that fishes are 

 killed ; but the contrary to me seems plain, from 

 a story related by Arnatus. A certain school- 

 master asking for culcbs from an ignorant apo- 

 thecary, received these berries in their stead. 

 When the school-master had devoured three or 

 four of them, he was seized with a nausea, hic- 

 cough, and anxiety, which symptoms together 

 with the danger they threatened, were immedi- 

 ately removed by administering a vomit : the 

 reasoning is weak, and more about words than 

 facts, and may be equally said of opium 5 the 

 absurdity of which is evident to all who know 

 the nature and operation of hypnotics. 



This description of the Oriental Cocus, I am 

 indebted to the late ingenious Dr. Cook for, but 

 I must beg leave to make some observations, 



