XI 
American Poifon called Ticimas. 
like liquorice. The fmell, therefore, of this poifon, when dry, 
is perfectly innocent ; as are alfo the particles which enter with 
the air into the mouth and nofe, and thence go to the lungs. 
But the cafe in which it feems that this poifon is moft 
dreaded (although its application be ftill external) is, when it is 
reduced to vapour or fmoke by burning on the coals ; or when, 
after boiling a confiderable time, it rifes in denfe fumes. I wifhed 
to try it in both thefe ways, and therefore threw many pieces of 
the dry poifon upon burning coals, and caufed the pigeon to 
breathe the fumes, by holding its head in the middle of them ; 
but it never fhewed any fignsof fuffering any pain. I went ftill 
farther : I took a glafs tube fix inches long, and four wide, 
and filled it full of this denfe and white fume, and then intro- 
duced the fame pigeon into it ; but it fhewed no more figns of 
fuffering than if it had been held in the fumes of burning fugar. 
I afterwards boiled a good quantity of it in an earthen veffel. I 
expofed the pigeon to the vapours both when the poifon began 
to have fome confidence, and when, by more boiling, it began 
to burn to the fides of the veffel, and to be reduced into very 
denfe vapours, and to a coal ; but ftill the animal differed no- 
thing from thefe trials. I then made no fcruple of freely duel- 
ling it and expofing myfelf to the fumes of it. The odour of 
the dry poifon, when burnt on the coals, is very difgufting, and 
fmells like burnt excrement. 
From all thefe experiments I draw this conclufion, to wit, 
that the vapours or fumes of the American poifon, when duelled 
or breathed, are innocent. Mr. de la condamxne was cer- 
tainly deceived when he wrote that this poifon is prepared by 
women condemned to die ; and that it is known to be come to 
its perfedtion when the vapours, which it emits in boiling, kill 
the perfon who is obliged to be prefent. 
This poifon diffolves eafily and very well in water, even when 
it is cold, and foit does alfo in the mineral and vegetable acids. 
But it diffolves in oil of vitriol much more flowly than in the other 
acids, and becomes as black as ink by the operation, which it 
does not do with any of the other acids. It does not effervefee with 
either acids or alkalies ; neither does it alter milk, nor tinge it 
B 2 except 
