POISONS OF VEGETABLE OEIGIN 189 



simply compressed between two glass slides, the embryo 

 plant appears curved like the figure 6, the two ends 

 pointing in opposite directions (Kei 2), A watery 

 decoction of datura seeds when placed in the eye will 

 cause dilatation of the pupil, but a watery decoction of 

 capsicum seeds irritates the eye and does not dilate the 

 pupil. Red pepper seeds in powder may be recognised 

 by means of the application of heat, the acrid vapom-s 

 being at once detected by heating even a small portion. 



Poisoning by datura has been known since time 

 immemoriaL Witthaus says " it seems probable that 

 the poisoning of the army of Antony in Parthia, related 

 by Plutarch, was caused by belladonna or by datm*a " 

 (Ref. 28). Norman Chevers gives an interesting 

 account of professional poisoners in Bengal, who in 

 former days used to administer this drug to wayfarers 

 witli the idea of producing merely temporary insensi- 

 bility ; but sometimes fatal over-doses were given. 

 Even in the present day there is still a sect in Egypt 

 which narcotises and robs country visitors to Cairo. 

 The victims while delhious are taken to the hospitals 

 by the police and wake up to find all their money gone. 



Among some clinical cases of datura poisoning in the 

 Federated Malay States that were publisiied by the 

 writer in 1903 was one in which datura seeds were 

 mixed with food by Pahang Malays; — In April, 1896, a 

 Malay was charged at Kuala Lipis, Pahang, with 

 causing hurt by means of poison. He pleaded not 

 guilty ; butj although the motive of his crime was never 

 actually discovered, he was eventually convicted of 

 having mixed datura seeds in a curry, thereby stupe- 

 fying a Malay constable, his w4fe, niece and a girl friend, 

 as well as tw^o men, who all partook of the same dish. 

 The symptoms in each case were similar, namely, 

 attacks of giddmess, passing into unconsciousness for 



