^"■De°c"x875  ""-}       Medicwal  and  Dietetic  Articles.  533 
intoxicated  person  is  inclined  or  obliged  to  move  in  a  circle.  Such  a 
symptom  is  not  described  in  connection  with  the  death  of  Socrates,  and 
it  is  therefore  probable,  as  has  been  accepted  from  the  time  of  Plinius, 
that  he  was  not  poisoned  by  con'ium^  but  probably  with  a  narcotic  poppy , 
jiTjKcov^  perhaps  opium. 
In  ancient  times,  many  philosophers,  generals  and  other  celebrated 
persons  were  poisoned  by  conium.  and  in  the  island  of  Zea  was  a  law 
compelling  old  men,  who  were  useless  for  the  otate,  to  be  poisoned 
with  this  plant,  and  that  a  convenient  dose  of  the  juice  was  12  drachms 
=  ounces.  Among  the  interesting  archeological  relics  found  in  this 
island  was  a  clay  vessel,  which  held  exactly  12  drachms  of  water,  and 
it  is  possible  that  this  and  other  similar  vessels  served  to  measure  the 
deadly  dose  of  the  juice  of  this  plant. 
Remedy  for  the  bite  of  rabid  dogs  and  venomous  snakes. — Many  persons 
are  annually  bitten  by  the  animals  named.  The  priests  in  the  monastery 
of  the  island  of  Salamis  possess  an  interesting  remedy,  known  from  the 
most  ancient  epochs.  It  is  prepared  from  the  bark  of  the  root  of 
Cynanchum  erectum  and  the  powder  of  Mylabris  variegata^  from  4  to  6 
grains  of  the  former  and  \  to  ^  grain  of  the  latter  being  given  pro  dose, 
and  from  40  to  60  such  doses  administered. 
This  species  of  mylabris  was  the  KavOaocc  in  the  time  of  Hippocrates, 
land  contains  more  cantharidin  than  than  the  Spanish  fly.  Dioscorides 
says  :  Cynanchum  (derived  from  Kucov^  3.  dog),  quod  canes.,  lupos.,  vulpes 
£t  panther  as  necat ;  also  of  Apocynum  quod  canes  et  omnes  quadrupedes  necat. 
The  remedy  above  alluded  to  deserves  to  be  investigated  as  a  pro- 
phylactic against  hydrophobia,  which  is  here  called  lyssa. 
A  sophisticated  valerianate  of  qu'inia.,  imported  from  France,  was 
noticed  by  me  some  time  ago.  Previously,  I  had  made  the  interesting 
observation  that  true  valerianate  of  quinia,  when  triturated  in  a  mor- 
tar, showed  in  the  dark  a  beautiful  phosphorescence.  The  article  in 
■question,  not  possessing  this  property,  was  examined,  and  found  to  con- 
sist of  sulphate  of  cinchonia,  mixed  with  oil  of  valerian  and  valerianic 
acid. 
Saffron  grows  in  many  parts  of  Greece,  but  is  found  principally  in 
the  islands  of  Naxos,  Mykone,  Simi  and  Tinos.  It  is  collected  by 
poor  women  and  children,  and  sent  in  small  lots  to  Smyrna.  This 
Crocus  hellenicus  is  among  the  best  varieties  of  saffron. 
Rhodosaccharis  is  the  name  given  to  a  confection  of  rose,  which  is 
