CHINESE  POISONS. 
67 
with  other  edible  poisons,  are  employed  by  those  who  aim  at 
robbery  or  murder.  For  suicide,  after  opium,  the  most  common 
agent  is  the  sediment  of  brine — which  is  highly  corrosive.  Pure 
gold  is  not  uncommonly  used  ;  it  probably  acts  in  the  same 
manner.  Quicksilver  has  also  been  used  for  the  same  purpose  ; 
we  are  uninformed  respecting  its  action.  Arsenic,  although 
cheap  and  abundant,  is  not  easily  procured,  vendors  being  held 
responsible  for  consequences,  whether  suicide  or  murder.  The 
yellow,  or  sesqui-sulphuret  (orpiment)  abounds  in  Kunchdng  in 
the  S.  W.  of  Kansuh.  It  is  employed  externally  to  venomous 
wounds ;  as  a  sternutatory  to  counteract  miasmatic  effluvia  in 
summer,  and  internally,  as  a  tonic  in  several  diseases,  and  as  a 
prophylactic  ;  on  the  fifth  day  of  each  fifth  month,  persons  of 
every  age  and  condition  drink  spirituous  liquor  in  which  some 
powdered  has  been  thrown,  under  the  belief  that  it  is  preventive 
of  epidemic  diseases.  The  Chinese  do  not  consider  this  mineral 
as  related  in  any  way  to  arsenic.  By  arsenic,  they  mean  the 
red  or  protosulphuret  {realgar).  This  mineral  is  found  abun- 
dantly in  Sinyang — Honan,  arsenious  acid  {ivliite  oxide)  is  also 
met  with,  a  collateral  product,  it  is  said,  in  some  glass  work, 
derived  doubtless  from  an  ore  of  cobalt.  The  sulphurets  were 
known  to  the  ancient  alchemists  of  China,  and  were  early  em- 
ployed in  medicine  ;  the  utility  of  the  last  named  in  intermittent 
fever  has  not  been  long  known,  says  the  Pun  Tsau — Materia 
Medica.  Water,  in  which  common  green  bean  has  been  boiled 
and  pounded,  is  given  in  cases  of  arsenic  poisoning.  It  can  be 
of  use  only  as  a  demulcent.  We  are  told  that  Mongolian  hunters 
beyond  the  Wall  eat  it  to  enable  them  to  endure  cold,  when 
patiently  lying  on  the  snow  to  entrap  martens.  In  this  part  of 
China,  arsenic  is  taken  by  divers,  who,  in  cold  weather,  plunge 
into  still  water  in  pursuit  of  fish,  which  are  then  found  hyber- 
nating  among  stones  at  the  piers  of  bridges.  We  perceive  with 
regret  that  the  modern  Chinese  have  added  arsenic  to  their 
habitual  stimulants.  The  red  sulphuret  in  powder  is  mixed 
with  tobacco,  and  their  joint  fumes  are  smoked  in  the  ordinary 
manner.  We  have  met  with  no  habitual  smokers  of  this  com- 
pound of  mineral  and  vegetable  poisons  ;  but  persons  who  have 
made  trial  state  that  dizziness  and  sickness  attend  first  attempts. 
After  a  few  trials,  arseniated  tobacco  may  be  taken  without  any 
