The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-03-28
THE DATOORA.
Peculiar and Dangerous Properties of AM
Indian Herb.

Peculiar and Dangerous Properties of an
Indian Herb.
One of the most common plants by
ditch-side or cactus-hedge is the datOorG,
with its large white flower, and leaves
resembling the hollyhoek, and now well
known as valuable medicine for
asthma, for which its leaves are used in
the shape of cigars or tobacco The
seeds, on the other hand, are q subtle
and powerful poison, in small quantities
causing temporary insanity, and in
large, either permanent injury to the
brain or death. By an accident, l be-
came aware of the peculiar properties
OF the datoora. A robbery occurred in
a neighboring village, and an alarm
spread that this had been effected
through the agency of dstoora-poisOn-
ing by an organized gang of robber-
prisoners. 1t seemed the gang had put
up at the village the night before in the
guiSe of travellers, and succeeded in
getting on friendly terms with one of
the wealthiest families there, whom
they entertained to feast of sweet
meatS-the only eatable IN which
different castles may join. AS night ad-
vanced the family allowed them to put
up in their veranda; and when the village
was sunk in sleep, the effects of the poi
soned sweetmeats gradually placed the
house and all it contained at the mercy
of the robbers. Next morning, when
the hue and cry arose in the village, and
native inspectors, HGRnuhd1rS and con-
stables had arrived from far and near
to investigate the case-and to turn TO
what profit they could the opportunity
they found the family of eight living
helpleSsly and dangerously i'll, semi
idiotic, and unconscious of what had
occurred or was going on around them
The house had been ransacked, and
money dug out of the ground (the ma
tiyes' purSe) amounting to about thirty
Thousand rupees; and the suspicion OF
datoora-poisoning was confirmed. No
trace of the gang could be found, in
spite of the official raids made by the
police, and the levy of blackmail on
those who could afford to pay" to es-
cape suspicion. The family gradually
recovered to find themselves almost
penniless, the time they had been under
the poison being blank to them.
A sad case of datoora- poisoning &C.
CURED some time after this. My gar
dener's child, fine little fellow of two
years, whom | had often seen in the
garden, had swallowed few datoora
seeds while playing with some children
BY the roadside. This was first suf-
pected by his parents from some Of the
seeds being found in his hand; and
after being taken home the fatal result
too soon confirmed their fears. From
being in perfect health, in few hours
he was memory of the past; and one
the saddest sights was the distracted
grief of the parents for their only son.
Sadder Il anything was the fact Of the
body being kept for three days ia the
hot weather under the shade of large
sacrifcial banyan tree close by, covered
only with light cloth and some leaves,
waiting till the tbnnnahdGr of the near
est station could find leisure to come
and report on it before burial, while the
mother was rushing OF at all hours OF
the night and day to take another look
at her dead child. Chambers Journal.