VOL. XLV.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 489 



had no less than a 20th part of a root, which at first sight was discovered to be 

 ho gentian. 



This root, for which we have yet no name, is of a greyish brown colour ex- 

 ternally, but it is browner and more resinous internally : most of that which he 

 had seen was about the thickness of a finger ; though some was much larger and 

 whiter ; which was a reason with several for thinking there were 2 sorts of it ; 

 and indeed some pieces emit a stronger and more nauseous smell : but this he ap- 

 prehends might be occasioned only by a larger quantity of resin in them. All 

 of them were of an acrid pungent taste, and left a dryness on the tongue. 



He therefore judged it necessary to try what effects this root might have on 

 dogs, that he might the better conjecture concerning them on the human spe- 

 cies ; and though no man has any right wantonly to torture or destroy in a cruel 

 manner the least animal ; yet when good purposes are answered in the whole by 

 inferior natures yielding to superior ones, a man may, without just imputation to 

 his moral character, sacrifice the interest of a baser order to the happiness of one 

 superior. ■ 



With this intention he decocted -l oz. of this unknown root, powdered grossly, 

 in 10 oz. of fair water, till 2 were evaporated; he then let the decoction stand 6 

 hours. After this he gave half of it, stirring up the powder, to a young dog. 

 This made him instantly foam at the mouth ; he grew sick, and vomited part of 

 the dose ; yet in less than -i- an hour he reeled like one drunk, had twitchings of 

 his limbs, and after some time the motion of his heart was irregular, and inter- 

 mittent, though strong : he was sleepy about an hour, but came gradually to 

 himself in -f an hour more, and ate victuals, which before he refused. 



Two days after, the same dog took 4 oz. of decoction of gentian made as strong 

 as the former ; but he discovered not any bad symptom from it. He used this 

 quantity, as gentian root is sometimes given to that quantity in the practice of 

 physic. At above 10 days after he took the first decoction, and continued well. 



Another dog took above a drachm weight of the unknown root, finely powdered, 

 and mixed with butter : it instantly made him foam from the mouth, and caused 

 sudden vomiting, and in -i- an hour weakness of his limbs, and staggering, which 

 lasted 4- an hour, after which he recovered. 



He tried to give a large quantity to another dog; but being too much like other 

 irritating medicines, it caused so great a vomiting, as destroyed the effects which 

 a smaller quantity had before produced. One of the dogs had some loose stools 

 after taking it ; another urined plentifully. Like experiments were made by Mr. 

 Pierce at St. Thomas's Hospital, which had nearly the same event. 



Though none of the dogs were killed by this drug, but remained to appear- 

 ance well, yet all apothecaries have sufficient reason to examine very strictly 

 their gentian, and to reject what they find not genuine, since one of the women 



VOL. IX. 3 R 



