American Poifon called Ticunas. xliii 
After fo many experiments) as have been related in the courfe 
of this effay) on the poifon of the viper, and on the Ameri- 
can poifon, a ftili more powerful one than the former ; and after ' 
having feen that neither of thefe two poifons aft on the nerves, 
when applied immediately to them, while they inftantly kill 
very ftrong animals when introduced into the blood ; nothing 
was more natural than to conclude, that the poifon of the 
Lauro-Cerafus, which is equally innocent with the others when 
applied to the nerves, would alfo prove mortal when intro- 
duced into the blood : experience, however, fhews quite the 
contrary ; fo true is it that we ought to miftruft analogy, even 
when it appears moft uniform. I introduced the water of the 
Lauro-Cerafus into the jugulars of a large rabbit, to the amount 
of five drops or upwards, in the fame manner as I had done the 
poifon of the viper and the American poifon, yet the animal 
ihewed no figns of buffering. I fufpefted I had not performed 
the operation right ; that I had not introduced any of the water 
into the veffels ; and that the fyringe had infinuated itfelf into 
the cellular membrane. I therefore repeated the experiment, and 
again introduced into the jugular a quantity of poifon, perhaps 
three or four times greater, and I was very careful to make the 
point of the fyringe enter the jugular properly before I intro- 
duced the poifon, that the poifon fhould not by any means 
turn back again ; yet {till the animal was not affefted by it, but 
continued as lively as ever. I was more furprized than fatisfied 
with all this. I could not perfuade myfelf, that the water of 
the Lauro-Cerafus was not a poifon, and a very powerful one 
too, when introduced into the blood, fmce it was poifonous 
when applied to wounds in the flefh, and taken by the mouth, 
and likewife inaftive and harmlefs when applied to the nerves. 
I therefore again repeated the experiment, and this time I intro- 
duced by the jugular a whole tea-fpoonful of the Laurel water ; 
and yet ftili the animal was not affefted. I alfo tried the fame 
experiment on another rabbit, into the jugulars of which I in- 
troduced a large tea-fpoonful of the fame poifon ; yet neither 
did this rabbit fhew any figns of buffering, either then or after- 
wards. 
F 2 
The 
