CORRESPONDENCE OF RAY. 223 



very unlikely to be of the cannabine order. I confess I 

 cannot determine how far it may conduce to this purpose, 

 or the other to the contrary effect, but so much I know 

 of the Bangiie (the seed whereof I have by me, and is 

 very little differing from that of our hemp), that it will 

 certainly cause a dementia, or frantic and ludicrous sort 

 of madness, which runs the body into all the idle gesticu- 

 lations and postures of the most lascivious, when in the 

 mean time they are only the effects of present distemper, 

 and not any lustful pruritations. And that nature is in 

 distress, and under distemper, till the force and powers 

 of the seed be dissipated and vanquished, will appear by 

 this, that if you overdose your patient, it will certainly 

 kill. I have known, where upon too liberal a dose, the 

 effects have continued for almost a week, and had like to 

 have put the poor soul to have sought for a Bethlem in 

 another world. And why may not the Cannahis prove an 

 incentive in the same unlucky sense, especially if that be 

 true, as authors have alleged, that its seed, if freely taken, 

 will induce an a'^poauVfj, and, as Herodotus attests, a fu- 

 migation of the seed being cast upon hot coals, is said to 

 affect the Scythians with raving and a sort of frenzy, that 

 was attended with frightful ejaculations and bowlings ; 

 so that they well enough agree in this particidar. And it 

 cannot surely but be allowed on all hands, that this Indian 

 Bangiie is a true and genuine hemp, though in the mean 

 time I must pronounce it specifically distinct from our 

 European sort. I confess I was perfectly surprised to find 

 Dr, Herman, in his ' Academic Catalogue,' so perempto- 

 rily assert it among the race of AUhceas, and to promise 

 the world an entu-e history of it under that head in his 

 desired Musseum Ceylanicum, till calling to mind a mis- 

 take that had crept into the Garden of Chelsea, where, 

 some time before the Catalogue came out, the Sabdariffa 

 Clus. (which is no other than an Indian Alcea) was with 

 mighty ostentation exposed to view for the Bangiie in- 

 dorum. I presently bethought, that as that demonstrator 

 had imposed upon Dr. Lister and other worthy gentle- 



