Delaware State journal and statesman. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1855-1870, 1869-08-17

BY telegraphic dispatches it appears that
General Lesca has been poisoned. 1t is un.
certain whether the deed was peipetrated by
some one ofthe insurgents or by some Spaniard
who feared that Lesca was using too much
clemency toward the Caban forces Certain
it is Lesca has been poisoned, and that his
mind has become sadly injured. The proba
bility is that he will live, but become insane.
The deoootion by which he has been thrown
into this sad plight, It is certain was the same
by which the interesting widow of the unfor
tunate Emperor Macmillan was thrown from
the domain of reason into the depths of lunacy.
To us this unfortunate widow has always APP
peared like Shskespear's Ophelia, who with
darkened mind, strewed flowers on the stream
This poison, which maddens without bringing
death to its victim, is derived from an herb
which grows in Cuba, South America and n
few places in Mexico.
The plant is one of the most wonderful OF
natures productions. It resembles the century
plant in many of its features. Like the century
plant, it is a member of the cactus family /;
still furtheE it blooms once in so many years,
and at regular intervals The bud is large
and resembles that of the horse chestnut in
the peculiar gluten surrounding il. From this
the natives derive the poison.
The flower is Of gigantic size, and contains
purple centre, surrounded by blue and white
circles The perfume is delicious, but deadly,
and the natives shun to approach it as the
sailors of old the songs of the sirens. To in
hale Is sweet, but to remain is death.
The sorcerers, or medicine men, take the
buds Of this singular plant, and, first roasting,
place them in pot with sweet oil over fire,
and dance around with strange ceremonies
tiii the oil and the juice of the herh mnain
when they cease their strange incaniations
and pour the decocton, then resembling honey,
into shallow plates, from which, after the lapse
of few days, it is again taken and kept in
miniature jars.
The poison, when taken in sufficient guam
tity, first places the brain in delightful de-
lirum, resembling that produced by fusil oil !;
this is succeeded in few days by an uncon-
trollable apathy, which at last eliminates in
insanity. in which the patient is at times
strangely rational, then wildly insane, and
again rational, hut greatly eXhileratcd. This
poison is not destroyed by being mingled in
victuals before being subjected to heat, hut its
immediate effects are slightly deadened. They
are sure to appear, however, in the lapse of
time; this is the manner in which the poison
is generally administered.
When the victim is of no great influence,
and il is improbable that he can turn upon his
poisOner, the decocton is administered in a
glass of wine or a cup of cocoa. The poison
manifests itself shortly, and in the course of a
week all the various phases of the delirium APP
pear.
The sad fate of the Empress Carlotta is
known to all, but this description of the poison,
from what it is derived, and how it acts, may
aid in forming more correct appreciation Of
the horrible troubles to which she is subject.
General Lesca has been poisoned by the same
herb and is now subject to the same freaks of
insanity as the Empress Carlotta.