68 nature's teachings. 



may be gathered from an account of an adventure with Urtica 

 crenulata. The narrator is M. L. de la Tour. 



" One of the leaves slightly touched the first three fingers of 

 my left hand ; at the time I only perceived a slight pricking, 

 to which I paid no attention. This was at seven in the morn- 

 ing. The pain continued to increase, and in an hour it became 

 intolerable ; it seemed as if some one were rubbing my fingers 

 with a hot iron. Nevertheless, there was no remarkable 

 appearance, neither swelling, nor pustules, nor inflammation. 



" The pain spread rapidty along the arm as far as the arm- 

 pit. I was then seized with frequent sneezing, and with a 

 copious running at the nose, as if I had caught a violent cold in 

 the head. About noon I experienced a painful attack of cramp 

 at the back of the jaws, which made me fear an attack of tetanus. 

 I then went to bed, hoping that repose would alleviate my 

 suffering, but it did not abate. On the contrary, it continued 

 nearly the whole of the following night ; but I lost the con- 

 traction of the jaws about seven in the evening. 



" The next morning the pain began to leave me, and I fell 

 asleep. I continued to suffer for two days, and the pain 

 returned in full force when I put my hand into water. I did 

 not finally lose it for nine days." 



There is another of these formidable nettles, called in the 

 East by a name which signifies " Devil's Leaf," and which is 

 sufficiently venomous to cause death. There is but little doubt, 

 however, that in the present instance, if a larger portion of 

 the body — say the whole arm — instead of three fingers, had 

 been stung, death would have ensued from the injury. 



The Barb. 



We now come to another improvement, or rather addi- 

 tion, in the various piercing weapons. Sometimes, as in the 

 case of the dagger or the hand- spear, it was necessary that 

 when a blow had been struck the weapon should be easily 

 withdrawn from the wound, so as not to disarm the assailant, 

 and to enable him to repeat the stroke if needful. But in the 

 case of a missile weapon, such as a javelin or an arrow, it was 

 often useful, both in war and hunting, to form the head in 

 such a way that when it had once entered it could scarcely be 

 withdrawn. For this purpose the Barb was invented, taking 



