American Poifon called Ticunas. xiii 
treated of this poifon, believe it to be quite innocent when re- 
ceived by the mouth ; and this is the common opinion of all 
the Americans. The reafon they give for it is, that they can 
eat with impunity the animals killed with this poifon, or rather 
with the poifoned arrows. This reafon is more fpecious than 
convincing ; fincerit may be a poifon when introduced into the 
blood, even in the fmalleft quantity, and yet not be fuch when 
taken in by the mouth, except the dole be very confiderably in- 
creafed. 
* 
The following are the experiments which I have made, the 
refult of which is to render us cautious of pronouncing, even 
after we have confulted experience itfelf. 
I made a young rabbit fwallow two grains of the poifon, dif- 
folved in water, and then forced it to drink a tea-fpoonful of 
water, to wafh all the poifon out of its mouth into its ftomachu 
This animal (hewed no figns of buffering either then or after- 
wards.. 
In like manner I made another young rabbit drink three grains 
of the poifon, and it buffered nothing, any more than the former 
had done. I made another young rabbit drink four grains of 
the poifon, and it likewife buffered nothing. I repeated the 
fame experiments on three other young rabbits, to the laid of 
which I gave fix grains of the poifon, but ftiil without any 
effedt. 
I then concluded that thebe experiments were fufficient to allure 
me, that the American poifon is innocent when taken by the 
mouth, as the poifon of the viper is ; but I was deceived. I had 
the curiofity to try it on a young pigeon, to which I gave fix 
grains to drink, and it died in lebs than twenty minutes. I re- 
peated the experiment on two other pigeons, and they both died 
within the half hour. 
Thebe laft experiments being contradidtory to the- former,, 
obliged me to try feveral over again on the rabbits and on 
Guinea-pigs. I gave, therefore, to a bmall Guinea-pig five grains 
of the poifon to drink, and I found it dead after twenty-five 
minutes. I then made a young rabbit drink eight grains of the 
poifon i at the end of the half hour it did not feem affedted 
but 
