Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1890-04-16
The History OF POis0ns.


The discovery, use and effect of the differ-
ent poisons reach way back into the remotest
ages. As far as history has any record, some
kinds Of poisons have been in constant use.
The so.oalled classic age held different opin-
ions on the use of poisons from those held at
present, since culture and science have ad-
vanced. Death through poison existed by
law among the higher classes in several
were strangled to death, freeborn citizens
were poisoned. Socrates and Theremenes
had to drink the poison prepared for them.
Aelianus tells us that at the island of Crea,
the old men, who could not be of any more
use to their country, held great feast, sur
rounded by flowers, and at the end of the
same, all emptied the poisoned cup. A queer
common poison (name not given) was pre-
pared and stored up at the expense of the
city. Whosoever was tired of life could
make an application to the city authorities.
The case was heard and carefully judged. If
sufficient cause was presented, the poison
was administered; If not, 1t was refused.
The Persian law permitted any one to COM
nit suicide, to whom life was burden. The
rich, and persons in authority, always car
yied poison with them, 30 that they might
make use of 1t whenever circumstances de-
manded. Demosthenes and Hannibal always
carried it.
The Persian kings were in possession of
painless but deadly poison, which was at
their disposition at any time. During the
classic age there were more murders commit
ted through poison in Persia than anywhere
else. But they were Of common occurrence
in Rome and Greece, as was self-destruction
through poison. During the consulate of
Valerius Flaccus and Claudius Marcellus,
society of prominent women had committed
a number of murders through poison, but
female slave betrayed them. They deniedit,
saying the lotion was a healthy one; but they
were compelled to drink the same, from
Of vegetable poison which worked SO slow-
ly that it would not show its effect for
months, yes. not for years, but proved q sure
death after all. Drusus had dose of poison
administered to him by Sejamus, which pro-
duced slow symptoms of consumption, but
which, eventually, caused his death. The
fear of being killed by poison caused several
Attalus Philometer, king of Pergamos, cul-
tivated in his gardens the then known vege-
tables hyoscyanni, conf and aconite, and
tried experiments with the same on crimi-
mails. He himself took daily dose and anti
dote to convince himself of their effect.
Cleopatra understood perfectly how to mix
and administer the Same without the least
hesitation. Murders through poison became
80 numerous that the law finally stepped in
to check them. In the Jewish states these
murderers were stoned to death. In Persia
they were put on to a rock and their heads
crushed with another. In Rome they were
not always put to death, but transportation,
or confiscation of their property awaited
their crime. They were not allowed to be
buried beside their friends and relatives, but
must be buried In separate field.
Even at the time Of ,Hippocrates poisons
were used for medicine, and later, the EN-
piric and Alexandrian schools attempted to
discover the effect and antidote of the differ
ent poisons as medicine. The Roman physi-
CLANS compounded different medicines in
order to find antidotes against the different
poisons. Their general advice was to use a
powerful purgative, oill and all oily sub