NICOTIANA TABACUM. 
iparkable symptoms; it was then killed by putting two drops of the 
same oil upon the tongue. About half a scruple of the same oil was 
introduced into the hemispheres of the brain of another rabbit, 
which had not produced any effect thirty minutes after; the animal 
was instantly killed by applying three drops of it to the tongue. 
A woman applied to the heads of three children, who had the tinea, 
a liniment prepared of snuiF and butter, soon after they experienced 
vertigo, violent vomiting, and fainting; they had profuse sweats, 
and during twenty-four hours they walked as if they were drunk.* 
A person fell into a state of somnolency, and died apoplectic, 
from having taken by the nose too great a quantity of snufF.f A 
decoction of the leaves applied to parts affected with the itch, pro- 
duced violent vomitings and convulsions. The celebrated Santeuil 
died in great agony, in consequence of having drank a glass of 
wine in which some Spanish snuff had been put. But it would be 
needless to insist further on the deleterious effects of tobacco, since 
we believe it is generally admitted to be one of the most active, and 
certain vegetable poisons with which we are acquainted ; l we shall 
only mention tw,o cases -which came under our own observation.— 
Some young marines, six we believe in all, wishing to get discharged 
from the service, betook themselves to chew tobacco, to which they 
had before been unaccustomed, allowing some of the juice occa- 
sionally to pass into the stomach ; the effects were soon visible, 
though no person suspected the cause; they became pale and ema- 
ciated, and had constant nausea ; in a few days it was necessary to 
send them to the hosphal, where at length they disclosed their secret 
on finding themselves reduced to so dangerous a state. The result 
was, that one of them died, and the others were with difficulty 
recovered. Within these few days, the writer of this article had a 
full grown viper, which he kept in a jar of water, where for two 
days it was perfectly lively; wishing to destroy the reptile, he pre- 
pared a tolerably strong infusion of tobacco, on pouring a small 
quantity of it into the water, the creature made the most violent 
exertions to escape, but in a short time seemed to lose all its vivacity, 
remaining coiled up and motionless, and on the addition of a small 
quantity more of the infusion, it died in less than an hour. We 
* Ephemer. des Cur. de la Nature. 
+ Ibid. 
t The oil of tobacco applied to a wound, is said by Redi, to be as fatal as the poison 
of a viper. See Experiment. Natural, p. 8, 50, 315. 
