The Sun.
London, England, 1833-05-29 00:00:00

LONDON, AV EDNESD ICY EVENING, MAY 29, 1833.

POISONS OF THE ANCIENTS.

At the conversazione at the College of Physician
on Monday evening, Sir Henry Halford read a co-
,jouS paper, in which he investigated the causes of
the death of certain celebrated characters of anti-
quity, with especial reference to the knowledge of
poisons rtssessed by the ancients. SyHa, he oh-
.eryed, died, in consequence of the rupture of an
internal abscess, through an excess of rage; which,
according to Valerius Maximus, produced a violent
vomiting of blood, and death. Crassus, the emitter,
lawyer and friend of Cicero, died of pleurisy; and
Sir Henry remarked that the course of treatment
for this disorder, prescribed by Celsus, and in
use at the time—namely, bleeding, clipping, and
blistering, was so similar to that pursued a, the
present day, that nothi, g was, probably, left ut -
done that could have saved his valuable life.—
Pomponius Atticus, whom Cicero loved as a brother,
and who was on friendly terms with all parties in
the disturbed times in which he lived, was said to
have died of a fistula in the loins ; it was probably,
Sir Henry thinks, a dysentery ending as that dis-
order commonly does, in an affection of the lower
bowels. He had recourse to starvation, a very
common expedient amongst the Romans, and
died in ten days, aged 77. The latter end of
Socrates was brought about by the common mode
of despatching persons capitally convicted at Athens,
namely, by a narcotic poison ; but neither Xeno-
phon nor Plutarch tells us the species of poison.
The poisons of this class known to the ancients were
aconite, white poppy, hyoscyamus, and hemlock.
The black poppy might be the Theban drug. The
hyoscyamus was used at Constantinople, and was
very like.y the nepenthe spoken of by Homer. But
most probably the poison administered to Socrates
teas the sante as that given to other condemned cri-
minals—namely, cicuta, hemlock. Juvenal
attributes his death to hemlock—
" Dulcique senex vicious Hymetto,
Qui partem accepts smva inter vincla cicutw."
Whatever may have been the species of poison, it
was one of weak and slow operation, for the exe-
cutioner told Socrates that if he entered into earnest

dispute it would prevent its effect ; and it was
sometimes nece•sary to repeat the dose three or
four times. Its operation was gradually to produce
nsensibility, coldness of the extremities, and death.
What was than poison by which Hannibal destroyed
himself ? It was improbable that we should ever
know. Modern chymistry had discovered a variety
of subtle poisons that might be introduced into a
ring, and, wider certain circumstances, destroy life.
)ne drop of Prussic acid might pr.iduce paralysis,
and, if taken into the stomach, would instantly arrest
the current of life. But it was not likely that the
Carthagenians were acquainted with Prussic acid ;
Lyhia most probably produced poisons sufficiently
sub►le and destructive to accomplish the fatal pur-
pose of Hannibal. A. to the report of its being
bullock's blood, that, Sir Henry observed, must
be a fable, as well as in the case of the
death of Themis.ocles, for it is well ascertained
that the blood of that animal was not poison An ac-
complished nobleman had told him (Sir H. Milford)
tout he had been present at a birli-fight in Spain,
when, after the matador had killed the bull, a p-rson
n up, caught the animal's blood in a goblet, and
drank it off, as a pe,,ular remedy for a consumption.
With respect to the pmson with which Nero de•
strayed Britannicus, comparing the account given
by Tacitus with the effec.s of laurel-water, Sir
Henry was disposed to think that this was the iden-
tical drug. It appeared that the Emperor applied
o Locnsia, a female poisoner, to procure some ye-
ge able poison that would kill speedily. She pro-
breed one which destroyed a goat in five hours.
Nero, however, required a poison which would kill
instantly, arid sh- procured such an in4redient. At
the banquet Britar,rocus called for water, which the
pregustator fast, d ; it was not sufficiently cool ;
pail. was turn poured off, and the fatal liquid added;
the young mall drank, was seized with an epileptic
fit, and expired. The vase Sir Henry remarked,
was analogous in the effects with that of Sir
heodosius Boughton, who was poisoned by D

lan with laurel-Allier, and fell down in an ep•lepsy.
In the case of Britannicus, Nero told the company
that the young man was liable to such fits; and in
the other case, Donallan said that Sir Theodosius
had been subject to firs from his infancy. Ticitus
mentions a blackness which came over the body of
Britannicus; and Sir 11,nry stared that he was pre-
sent when the corpse of Sir Theodosius Bougt ton
was disinterred, and its colour resembled that of a
pickled walnut. If we could suppose thar the Ro-
mans were acquainted with the deleterious property
of laurel-water, and with the process of disrillation,
there could be no difficulty in concluding that Bri-
tannicus was poisoned w'th the laurel-water. I:. was
rrue the sp,cies of /aunts which yielded the delete-
,ious liquid did not grow in Italy; but it was a
native of Colehis, from whence it might have been
brought. The laurus nobilis (daphne) grew about
Rome, and was used in producing the inspirations of
he prophetic priestesses. As to the knowledge pos-
sessed by the Romans of the art of distillation,
they had not indeed a still arid refrigeratory
like the moderns; but they received the vapour
from the boiling herbs in a handful of sponge,
which, though a rude, was not an inefficient substi-
tute. Alexander the Great had been said to have
been poisoned; but this was inconsistent with the
very detailed account of his illness given by Arrian.
The report was, that the poison was sent by Anti-
phon, and was of such a peculiar nature that no
silver or metallic substance would contain it, and it
was conveyed in the hoof of a mule. But the article
was really onyx, as Horace—

_
" Nardi parvus onyx ;"
Now, the word onyx, in Greek, signified not only a
stone, but unguis, a hoof or nail; and the second
sense had been evidently given instead of that of a
precious stone. This double meaning of the term
onyx explained the account of poison being retained
by persons in their nails. Alexander really died of
remittant fever caught at Babylon. As to the
cause of it, Arrian expressly states that the King
was temperate and forbearing in the pleasures of the
table ; and when we consider the laborious occupa-
tions of Alexander, amidst frost and snow, and espe-
cially the marsh miasmata of the Babylonian lakes,
Sir Henry thought there was no difficulty in
conceiving that this was too much even for his frame
of adamant. The diary of Arrian, containing the
details of Alexander's illness and death; vindicated
his memory from the imputation of his having
brought on his fate by intemperance. Sir Henry
Milford closed his learned P.,rd interesting paper by
a brief encomium upon !he character of Alexander,

ur he course of which he remarked that the efficiency
of the British army in India, which kept millions of
natives in subjection, was maintained by the same
measures which Alexander devised and executed. _

Amongst the company present were his Royal
Highness the _Doke of gossex, his Gr,ace the Pri-
mate of Ireland, and several Bishops, Lord Chief
Baron Lyndhurst, Lord Chief Jiisric.- Tindal, the
Viee-Chancelior,Jo,tice, Park, 80-ariquet,Alderson,
Patteson, Baro,a Vaughan, Bolland, Gurney, &C.

To CLEAN PLATE —The very best thing
with which to clean plate is rotten-stone and oil. Wet a
,late brush with dip it into therotten-stone, and tub
it on well ; wipe the plate, and then with a fresh brush
ub with dry rotten-stone. With p ated goods,
,ou must he sparing in }our use of this recipe, and wore
frequently use good whiting or something else equally
harmless.—New Book of Economy. howev

THE QUEEN S DRAWING-ROONI.

Ye.terday a'as the day appointed for the celebration of
he King's Birthday. It was observed with the usual de-
monstrations of rejoicing ; the King's gnat d twornted with
•he hands of the three regiments in the Stan ford Court-
yard of the Palace. The him& played " God save the
King.," the ov•rture to Willi.t n Tell, a chorus from
Proserpine, and Bonaparte's grand march. The per-
' rman•es were under the direction of Mr. Hardy, of the

First R
At 1 n'rloek the park guns fired a double rnyal salute.
. .

•-- -
The Queen hel i a Drawing-room at the Pal ice, at St.
.1 Imes's, which was most numerously attended. The
ladies' dresses were very splendid, many of them being
new in honour of the day, and of British manufacture,
she head dress-s„ &c , exhibiting a profusion of diamonds
and j.-wellery of the most costly descrip,ion. Tae dress
of the Princess Lieven was remarkable for its richness.
The Knights of the different orders of knighthood ap-
peared in their collars.
The Archhishop of Canterbury, the Archbishop of
York, the Bishop of London, the Bishops of Bath anti
Weds, Llandaff, Chester, Carlisle, Bangor, Exeter, Ro-
chester, Winchester, St. David's, Chichester, Worcester,
&c., were conducted into the presence of the King, in the
Royal Closet, about half-past one o'clock, when the Arch-
bishop of Cantetbury delivered an address of congratula
tion to his Majesty on the happy return of the day. The
address had been previously agreed upon at a convocation
of the clergy. The Bishops afterwards waited upon the
Queen, and delly•red a crsrresponding address.
A Guard of Honour from tie Second Regiment t:f Life
Guards were on duty in the open space opposite Mar
ough Garden. The band of 24 performers in their
state uniforms executed several instrumental pieces in the
course of the afternoon.
Two of the tallest men in the regiment were stationed
on the Grand St rircase. The Hon. Corps of Gentlemen
Pensioners lined the Presence Ch rinher and the corridor.
The Yeomen Guard appeared in their coronation costume ;
the Exons on duty were Messrs. Samuel Hancock, Pear-
son, and Curtis. The gentlemen porters and the under
trotters were in attendance, the latter in new uniforms.
The King's Marshalmen appeared in an entire new uniform,
the ancient dress having heen ch Inge,' to one of a more
modern style, and the chaco having been substituted far
the cocked hat. .

Tie r,gulations and arrangements at the exterior of the
Palace were under the direction and superintendence of
Mr. Lee, the high-constahle of Westminster. 'Messrs.
Smith and Gardner, chief officers of police, were in at-
tendance at the entrances to the Palace.
_ _ _

The Duke of Cumberland came attended by Baron Lin.
singen and Colonel P..ten.
The Duchess of Kent and the Princess Victoria. ac-
companied by the Prince of Leiningen, and attended by
the Duchess of Northumb.-IJan,, Lidy Chirlotte S,.
Maur, Lady Catherine Jenkinson, LP.dy C .n,oy, Hon.
Lady Cust„ Baroness L.-tizen, Sir Frederick Vetherall,
Sir John Conroy, Hon. Sir Georr,e Anson, came in S ate,
in four carriages, estn by a party of Life Go ads.
Their Royal Highnesses entered by the Standard Court-
yard, and were received with the usual honours.
The Duchess and the Princess were Tressed in articles
of British manufacture, made expressly for the occasion.
The Duke o' Gloucester entered the Palace by the
S'andard Court.yard. H s Royal H came in State
in two carriages. wi,h an esc•irt. and was at ended by
Major-General Sir Howard I) .uglas, Colonel Higgins,
and four other Officers of his Household,
The Duk- of Sussex and the P.incess Augusta also
arrived ah •nt two o'cloch. _ . _

Tee Doke of Orleans was attended by General Bau-
drawl and other gentlemen of his suite.
The Duke of Brunswick came attended by Baron de
Rulow Alendhausen, his chamberlain, and Major Bause,
his aide decamp.
The Spe ker of the House of Commons came in state.
Their Maj. sties entered the Throne-room accompanied
by their royal relatives, and attended by their suite. The
Queen took her station under the canopy ; the Process
Air:usta, the niche-s of K,rit, and the Princess Victoria,
were on the left of her MaJestv. Her M ijesty's suite were
the Countess of Mayo (the Loly in Wai lug), the Duchess
Dowager of L-eds (Mistress of the Robes), the Earl of
Denbigh (Lord Ch itn,erlain), the E irl of Errol (Master
of the Hor-e), the M ,rchioness to Wellesley, Countess
Brownlow, Ltdv Went% ss, Miss H pe Johnstone, Hon.
Mr. Ashley (V•ce-Chamberlain), General Macdonnell,
and Captain George Pechell, It N. (Eluerry.)
His Majesty stood sione dis ante to the right of the
Qu en ; the Marquis of Winchester officiited as the Lord
in Waiting, and Sir W. Lumley the Groom in Waiting.
The doors of the drawing-room were opened, and those
who had the privilege of the entree were introduced into
the presence of their M ijesties.
The Count and Countess o'Ugelas were presented to
the King and Queen by the Swedish Minister and Coun-
tess Biornstjerna.
M. Surmont tie Nolsberghe, M. Paul Surtn 'nt, and M.
Henri Surmont, were presented to their Ithjesties by the
Belitan Minister, and conducted by Sir Robert Chester,
Master of the Ceremonies.
Le Capitaine Loven, officer of the staff of his Swedish
Maksty, was presented by Count Bjornstjerna, the Swe-
dish Minister.
Messrs. Dobell and Heise, the State Pages to the King,
were in attendance, and the tither Pages. Mr. Shoemack,
and the other Pages to the Que-n, were in attendance on
her Majesty.
After the entree Drawing room, the general company
were introduced.

The c,,ropany were setting Clown at the Palace into
one o'dock till half past tour. The Court was the most
brillimt this season.

At the entrée and general Drawing-rooms were, the
Russian Aitib issailor, and Princess Lieven, Prince Paul
Lieven, the French Ambassador, the Duchess de Dino, the
Neapolitan Minister, and Countess Ludolf, the Bavarian
Minister, and Baroness Cetto, the Prussian Minister, and
B lioness Bulow, the Swedish Minister, and Countess
Bjornstjerna, the Wirtembere Minister, the Hanoverian
Minister, and Baroness d'Ompteda, the Belgian, Saxon, and
Brazilian M,NiSters, the Danish, Sardinian, United S ales,
Austrian, Spanish, Turkish, Mexican Charges d'Affaires;
the B iron de Wessenbuig, the Austrian Special Minister ;
M. de Bacourt, First S cretary to the French Embassy ;
Count Donhoff, Secretary to the Prussian L-gation ; M.
de Hominelatier and Captain Banco, secretaries to the
A ,strian Embassy ; the Seeretares to the Neapolitan,
Mexican, Brazilian, and H inoverian Legation ; the Baron
Doernberg ; the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishop
of London, the Lord Chancellor, the Lord President, the
Lord Privy Se il, the First Lord of the Treasury, the Post-
master Grneril, the Secretaries of State for the Houle,
Foreign, and Colonial Departments ; the Chancellor of the
Exchequer, the First Lord of the Admir ilty, the Pay-
master of the Forces, the Groom of the Stole, the Master
of the Horse, the Commander of the Farces, the Captain
of the Hon, Corps of Gentlemen Pensioners, the Captain of
the Yeoman Guard, the Master of the Rolls, the Lord
Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, the Earl of Shrews-
bury, Hereditary High Steward of Ireland, the Earl
of Lit:-iifield, M alter of the K•ng's Buck Hounds,
the Master-General of the Ordnance, Viscount Com-
hermere, Gold Stick in Waiting, the Speaker of
the House of Commons, the Marquis of Thomond and
Lord Saltoun, Aides-de-Camp to the King ; the Vice-
Chamberlain ; Mr. Meek, Comptroller of the Victualling
of the Navy ; the Judge Advocate General, the Attorney
General, the Solicitor General, the Dutch Special Minis-
ter, Mr. (Under) Secretary Bickhouse, the Treasurer of
the ll;nsehold, the Comptroller of the Household, the
Private Secretary to his Majesty, the Keeper of the Privy
Purse ; Sir Wathen Waller, extra Groom in Waiting, the
Mister of the Ceremonies ; Sir Augustus Clifford, Usher
of the Black Rod; the Master of the Robes; Sir Peter
Laurie, Lord Mayor; Lady Laurie, Lady Mayoress; the
Adjutatit,General to the Forces, the Clerk Marshal, Si,
M irtin Shee, President of the Royal Academy ; S r
Henry Halford, Presid.,nt of the College of Physicians ;
Sir Matthew Tierney, Physici in to the King ; Sir A.tley
Cooper, Sergeant Sorgeen to the King ; the Kii,g's Har-
binger, Sheriffs Humphery and Peek, Mr. A.M..' tnan
Conan, Mr. Thomas Poynder, Treasurer of Christ's Hos-
pital; Sir Phdip Sidney and Col. Bowater (Equerries);
the principal Chaplain to his Majesty's Forces ; Rev. Dr.
Kuper, Chaplain to the Queen ; the Groom of the Robes,
u
and M niter Graves, Pace of Honour.
DoxltS—Wellingron, Dorset, Guidon, Nirthumberland,
Argyll, Buccleuell, Portland, Rutland, Gra'.oll,
Dt
hue cr
Ind
nr
Sr. EBj AALOllilit,6ro: DC,
,Rmit,:gmer"nßdic,h(imoorde,dm., Buecleuch,
Sutherland,
MARA:tutus—Exeter, Queensberry, Thomond, Camieti,