NARCOTICS AND STIMULANTS 455 
ridiculous — certainly less dangerous to the patient — 
than those of the Sangrados, Purgons, Macrotons, 
etc., portrayed by Lesage and Moliere. If, to 
procure for himself fleeting sensual pleasures, the 
poor Indian's "untutored mind" leads him to 
som.etimes partake of substances which are either 
hurtful in themselves or become so when indulged 
in to excess, examples of similar hallucination are 
not wanting even among peoples that boast of their 
high degree of civilisation. 
This does not profess to be a treatise on all 
known South American narcotics, or I should have 
to speak of a vast number more, such as (for instance) 
the numerous plants used for stupefying fish. Some 
of these, but especially the Timbo-a^ii [Pmillinia 
pinnata), are said to be also ingredients in the slow 
poisoning which some Amazonian nations are 
accused of practising ; and on the Pacific side of 
the Andes the same is affirmed of the Yuca-raton, 
which is the thick soft white root of a Leguminous 
tree (Gliricidiae sp.) frequent in the plain of Guaya- 
quil. The Curare also would require a chapter to 
itself, and must be reserved for another occasion. 
