Case CXLV

Some years since, a musical composer, under the distress occasioned by domestic griefs, attempted suicide. For this purpose, he took a strong dose of datura. The effect of this poison was exhibited in giddiness and all the symptoms of intoxication. He saw troops of men whirling in a circle before him, who endeavored to drag him into their vortex. All the characters in the ballet of Gustavus, in which he had been engaged during the evening, appeared to him making grimaces, and harassing him in every way. He fell to the ground, senseless, and was taken to the guardhouse, where he gave way to the greatest violence, imagining himself to be surrounded by assassins, robbers, and wretches, who sought to injure him. These figures were countless in numbers, of gigantic stature, and hideous, in appearance. He was taken to the H6tel Dieu, and placed under the charge of M. Husson, who treated him for furious delirium. On the following day, when he was brought to my establishment, his excitement had greatly diminished. The pupils of the eyes were still dilated, and extraordinary figures still visible. This phenomenon soon ceased, and in two or three days he was cured.

* De l'abus de Haschisch, Annal. Med. Psy., Jan. 1851. † La Presse, 22d June, 1845.

On the 21st of November, 1843, three young children ate a quantity of the seeds of the datura. Symptoms were soon manifested similar to those caused by the ingestion of that substance; numerous hallucinations of sight were united to these phenomena, in two of the sick children. On the following day the symptoms were considerably diminished in all three, but the youngest felt a great weakness in the limbs. The day after, all uneasiness had disappeared as if by enchantment.*

Several patients, under the influence of datura, which had been applied according to Dr. Moreau's method, saw animals in the middle of their beds. The vision occurred chiefly in the night.

Hallucinations and illusions are equally excited by the berries of belladonna. An account is given in the great Dictionnaire des Sciences Medicales of a company of soldiers, who, having inadvertently eaten of this fruit, experienced numerous illusions. M. Baillarger, in his clinical lectures in the Saltpetriere, has described several cases of this character; a maid-servant, having taken an infusion of belladonna on the approach of her periods, had an attack of delirium; she was surrounded by little animals running on the ground, of various colors and sizes. She attempted to seize one, but, instead of an animal, caught only a leaf, as is related in the Stories of the Thousand and One Nights, and in the legends of Treasures sold by the Devil.†

* Examinat. Med., 15th of May, 1843.

† The use of narcotic beverages, and poisonous substances, for the purpose of causing transformations, of preparing for initiation, etc., is traced far into antiquity. M. Eusebe Salverte has collected many examples in his work on the Occult Sciences.

Prosper Alpin relates that, in his time, the Egyptians used a number of

The third section comprises hallucinations combined with mental alienation. It should be observed that, in many circumstances, intoxicating drinks, which made them act like madmen. Whenever they wished to excuse a bad action, they said they had partaken of herbs. He describes the principal ones under the names of " affion, anis, bora, ber-nari, and bus,' and enters into some details of their composition (Prosper Alpin, De Medicini AEgyptiarwn, lib. iv. cap. v. p. 118-122).

Kempfer speaks of a medicine of this character, the effects of which appeared similar to those of nepenthe, which we believe to be Indian hemp. Having, with his companions, partaken of an electuary given to him during a repast by the Indians, they felt so happy that they could only express their joy by laughter, cries, and reciprocal caresses. At night, when they mounted their horses to return home, they thought themselves carried by Pegasus through the clouds, surrounded by rainbows; and, on recovering from this effect, they were ravenously hungry, and ate with avidity whatever was offered to them. On the following day their health of mind and body was excellent. - Sauvages, Nosol. Meth., class viii. gener. xvii. lim. iii. par. i. p. 371. Friedreich, Algemeine Diagnoctik der psycsischen Kranh-eiten, Wurzburg, 1830.

The muchamore is a mushroom, common in Kamtschatka and Siberia. Bencowski relates that a Siberian schuman whom he consulted, used an infusion of muchamore; this drink first plunged him into delirium, then into a deep sleep. If eaten either dry or infused, it sometimes produces death, always strong delirium, sometimes of a gay character, at others full of sadness and terror. Those who partake of it believe themselves to be under the irresistible power of the spirit that lives in the poisonous mushroom. In one of these paroxysms, a Cossack imagined that the spirit desired him to confess his sins; and so, in fact, he did, before all his comrades. - Krakenninikof, Description du Kamtschatka, part i. chap. iv.

Porta and Cardan give two receipts for witches' ointment; nightshade formed the basis of the one, henbane and opium of the other. The wise Gassendi, in order to enlighten those poor wretches who believed themselves witches, endeavored to discover their secret, and to imitate it. With an ointment in which he introduced opium (probably belladonna), he anointed the peasantry, and persuaded them that by that means they would go to the sabbath. After a long sleep, they awakened, convinced that the magical proceeding had taken effect; gave a detailed account of what they had seen, and the pleasures they had enjoyed; and related in what respect the action of opium was marked by voluptuous sensations. - Eusebe Salverte, op. cit. p. 294.

A witch was found, in 1545, in possession of an ointment composed of stupefying drugs. Andre Laguna, physician to Pope Julius III., used it to anoint a woman who was attacked with frenzy and restlessness. She slept for thirty-six hours, and when they succeeded in waking her, complained that they had taken her from the arms of a handsome young man. - Llorente, Hist. de L'Inq., t. iii. p. 428.