CHINESE  POISONS. 
65 
mations  were  posted  everywhere,  warning  the  inhabitants  against 
the  villanous  agents  of  foreign  barbarians,  who  were  prowling 
in  search  of  female  children.  Two  miscreants  were  detected 
with  their  little  prizes,  and  immediately  beaten  to  death.  From 
the  documents  published  on  that  occasion,  it  appears  that,  for 
very  young  children,  a  drug  is  employed,  which,  on  being  applied 
to  the  face,  produces  a  degree  of  insensibility  enabling  the 
operator  to  lead  the  little  one  away  unresistingly.  For  those 
of  a  larger  growth,  as  well  as  for  adults,  something  is  given, 
which,  by  irritating  the  throat,  causes  aphony.  At  other  times 
they  seem  to  employ  an  anaesthetic  for  criminal  purposes. 
We  must  adduce  one  instance  of  a  proposal  to  stupify  by 
drugs  of  this  character.  When  Ningpo  was  in  possession  of  the 
English,  a  bold  effort  was  made  for  its  recapture  by  surprise.' 
A  large  number  of  "  braves  "  were  secretly  housed  in  the  city, 
and  a  few  hours  before  the  time  appointed  for  rising,  the  man- 
darins sent  for  distribution  among  a  portion  of  the  concealed 
force,  a  quantity  of  stupifying  drug  in  the  form  of  pastiles.  Ar- 
rangements were  made  for  a  simultaneous  attack  on  the  West 
and  South  gates  by  night,  and,  while  some  of  those  within  the 
city  were  to  set  off  noxious  vapor  in  houses  occupied  by  the 
English,  others  were  to  force  open  the  gates.  The  plot  failed 
through  the  dilatoriness  of  the  fumigating  squad.  They  arrived 
too  late.  The  noise  of  the  attack  aroused  the  English,  and 
its  partial  success  enabling  a  large  force  to  enter  the  city  caused 
a  dreadful  carnage  among  the  spirited  assailants.  Yet  their 
confidence  in  the  utility  of  fumigation  was  not  impaired  ;  for  it 
was  not  long  after  that  a  barbarian  soldier  was  captured  by  this 
means  and  beheaded.  Many  were  the  plans  set  afoot  for  the 
capture  of  the  English  chief  Pu-ting  che — for  whose  head  ten 
thousand  teals  were  offered.  At  the  present  juncture,  our  friends 
at  the  South,  whose  heads  are  of  any  particular  value — we  mean 
in  the  Chinese  market — would  do  well  to  keep  their  eyes  open. 
It  is  said  that  not  far  from  every  poison  its  antidote  may  be 
found.  These  soporific  pastiles  come  within  that  rule.  The 
difficulty  in  poisoning  cases  is  to  know  where  to  look  for  the  de- 
sired neutralizer.  That  our  toxicological  notes  may  not  be 
wholly  devoid  of  practical  information,  we  shall  give  some  simple 
directions  for  the  guidance  of  those  whose  premises  are  invaded 
5 
