256 
MANCINELLA. 
branched, of a moderate thickness, and in its gene- 
ral appearance and foliage resembles a great pear 
tree. The leaves, the bark, and the wood of the 
mancinella, are full of a milky juice, which proves 
to be a most acrid and mortal poison. In this juice 
the Indians dip their arrows, when they intend to 
make them particularly fatal to their enemies; and 
as a proof of the great length of time which the 
poison retains its activity, we shall quote Bomare. 
This gentleman says that he saw it proved in the 
arsenal at Brussels, where the thigh of a dog was 
wounded with an arrow dipped in the juice ; and 
although it was known to have been empoisoned 
about a hundred and forty years, yet it took ef- 
fect, and killed the dog. The fresh juice is so 
acrid that a single drop will produce blisters on the 
skin, as if it had been burnt with a hot iron. Thus 
we may judge in some measure of the mischief it is 
capable of doing. 
Formerly, before the Indians attempted to fell 
this tree, they made a fire of dry wood round it 
in order to dissipate some of the dangerous sap, 
and were very careful, during this operation, to 
avoid the noxious fumes. At present, however, the 
workmen are less cautious, and merely cover their 
faces with gauze, and their hands with gloves, that 
they may not be injured by any accidental drops of 
juice. 
It has been the fate of the mancinella (like other 
wonderful productions) to have its effects exagge- 
rated ; and we are accordingly told that the very 
