The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1897-11-12

coul'il nelp out GRIN with nclG
Abel, and said: vt..:s
"'Well, Lpaid for rum and tansy
up there for YOU anyhow.
"'Course you did!' said Uncle Abel
That's I*rt of it. l hain't took a
drink in more'n 40 year! Think You'll
go back an lick him. He'll sort O
'spect it, ~~,. :.
"But said I'll let it 90, and drove
on, leaving Uncle Abel in the road
grinning after me .'-Nev York Sun.
HIDDEN P0ISONS.
I'm America, ruflled grouse; feeding
on laurel buds, are highly glyo dtleterious:
The flesh Of parrots is 50 powerful that
it is used incidentally abroad, and the
head and intcstines of this particular
bird are said to be mstantaneously
poisonous to cats. A blue-footed sort
Of quail in Tartary proves fatal to those
who eat it. Our own British snake is
free from venom. The, brittle snake,
or blind worm, possesses no venomous
characteristics. Both are perfectly
harmless. The British viper inficts a
poisonous bite, which produces rapid
swelling Of the wounded part, but it
seldom proves fatal, and the wound is
soon counteracted with little spirit
of ammonia. Contrary to the theory
of Cleopatra's agonizing demise, as
told in the drama by the poet, it is not
often the bite Of the Egyptian viper,
or asp, is attended with fatal results,
and the wound, when inflicted is easily
cured.
Poisonous secretion in fish is not un-
common. The flesh of the weever is
exceedingly good eating, but the
wounds inflicted by its spines are very
painful, and attended with inAamma-
tion extending from the arm to the
shoulder. 1t is a common idea that
venom is infused into the wound in
ficted, though the practice is scarcely
perceptible. The remedy adopted by
the fishermen of Wales is to rub sea
sand briskly over the affected part, and
to continue the rubbing for consider.
able time. >, 1t is a recognized fact that
mackerel, herrings, crabs, Holsters and
mussels frequently, produce. eruptions
on the bodies and limbs ofpersons who
eat them. This'is often attributed to-
what is thought to be the indigestible
quality of the. fish referred to, but
might be more accurately traced TO
their poisonous secretion, which varies
in power and quantity according to
circumstances. Death has often re-
suited from eating mussels, but it is a
we'll known fact that they prove most
injurious to particular persons only,
many being able to eat them freely and
with impunity. The effect.wou,,l thus
appear to be owing more7t to the consti.
tutional peculiarities Of those who eat
them than to the mussel ITSELF: This,
however, should not be. accepted as a
safe rule of guidance in the matter.
Mussels taken from the copper sheath.
ing of ships, to which this particular
bivalve naturally clings, are certainly
poisonous to all, owing to the copper
they imbibc from the metal to which
they adhere. Anyone eating mussels
which contain this deadly secretion
will inevitably suffer in proportion to
the power and volume of the poison Sc
creted. Mr.. Murray, the late we'll
known publisher. relates how he once
picked up sponye-likc substance on
the sea coast, and rubbing portion of
it on the back of lis hand it produced
virulent Inflammation, followed by
eruptive spots, succeeded by pleera-
tions that left their marks for life.
The substance was found to be the
matrix or envelope of the spawn ofthe
edible muasel. Mr.. Murray adds that
he once heard Of gentleman who OK
perienced violeat sickness for having
trod,lcn on this particular substance
while bathing. The sea aaemone is
also a cause OF pain and infiammation,
if brought into contact with tie skin.
The honey of the bee is sometimes
poisonous. Nenophon records that
Hdnring the celebrated retreat of the
ten thousand Greeks from Persia, the
soldiers. when they came to a place
near Trebizonde, found many bee hiycs,
the combs of which they sucked, and
soon after became as IF intoxicated, be-
ing subsequently attsckedswith viru-
lent cholera morAus:" Itiiwas found
that b: s this 81 arose. frop tbs bees collect
ing their honey from a plant which
was very abundant around Trebizonelc,
the very blossoms III Which ;eaxhaled
sweet Misunderstanding per4,,aier This
is referred to in: Lall,s Rookhs''-
.-,,ttl
Even as those bees in Trebizonley -,
Which, from the snnniest flowers that glad
81 With thell. pure. SMILE the garden E0u,i -"
Draw venom forth that drives men IN I'd y,
T Tie plainht from NJ Which fhis venom