129 The Natural Hiftory of the Book V, 
in hot Climates. And as moft kinds of fuch Fruits are beft adapted to 
qualify by their Coolnefs the Heat of the Body in Summer Seafons std 
we find, that they grow, and are in Plenty, in Winter Countries, only at 
fuch times as they are moft wanted: But as the Climates within the Tro- 
pics have, almoft without Exception, a continual Summer, fo the fame 
Divine Hand hath provided for the Wants of thofe Places, by bountifully 
fupplying them with a conftant Series of various frefh Fruits of this kind, 
The MANCHANEEL-TREE ; Lat. MANCANNILLA. 
TT HIS, among many others, is very imperfectly defcribed by all for- 
mer Authors: And, tho’ the Juice of this Tree is confeffedly poi- 
fonous ; yet the Force and Malignity of its Poifon are extravagantly 
enhanced. 
One (1) Hiftorian, in particular, who loved to dwell upon the Marvel. 
ous, fays, That-the Heads of People, who happen to fleep a fhort time 
under its Shade, {well ; and thofe who have fo flept, grow blind ; but if 
they fleep for a confiderable time, they recover their Sight ; likewife, that 
if the Leaves but touch the naked Skin, they raife Puftles, which caufe 
deadly Pains, unlefs helped with, Water and Salt, or. fafting Spittle ; arid 
that even {melling the Wood is dangerous. P 
This Defcription is fabulous in every Article: For fleeping under its 
Shade-hath-no-manner of bad Effe@ upon the Head or Eyes; nor is any 
ill Confequence to be feared from the Leaves touching the naked Body, 
unlefs thefe-are -bruifed, and the white milky Juice they contain is fuffered 
to pervade the Pores; which if it does, it raifes Blifters, like thofe of the 
Confluent Sort in the Small-pox, caufing acute Pains; but the fimple 
Drops of Rain-water, falling from thefe Leaves upon the Skin, will not, 
as is falfly afferted, have any bad Effe@ ; which I have often, upon re- 
peated Trials, experienced. 
There are fome feeming Inftances urged to confirm the contrary ; efpe- 
cially of a Perfon wathing in Indian River, who, upon an unexpected 
Storm of Rain, and high Wind, fheltered himfelf naked under the adja- 
cent Shade of this Tree; where he had not been long, before he felt fome 
Part of his Skin, about the Shoulders, fmart, and foon afterwards an 
Eruption of painful corrofive Blifters, 
I will lay no Strefs upon the great Heat of the Sun, during the time 
of his Bathing, which often, near thofe fandy Bays, raifes Blifters upon 
the Part expofed out of the Water ; but am fatisfied, and well convinced, 
that thefe Blifters were occafioned by Drops falling from this Tree 3 tho’ 
at the fame time, I mutt deny, that they were merely Drops of Rain- 
water : However, we cannot be at a Lof& to account for the Bliftering, 
and its painful Caufe. If we recollect, that the Wind was very high in 
this 
(1) Peter Martyr, 
