The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-11-01
THE MURDER OF HAMLETS
TIER IN MODERN VIEW.

The tragedy OF HdmIefs Father IL
q study OF the arts Of medieval and
Renaissance prisoners according TO the
chemistry of drugs of former times,
and In the view Of an authority to-
day contains in It's Incidents a lesson
in real experience, because Shake
speare OF all poets seems to have ex-
amined the actual material basis Of
his dramas. In an address on this
subject with historical and medical
aspects, DR.. d. /. Macht of Johns Hop
kins Hospital brings out the points
OF interest to detectives Of crime in
the murder Of HdmIctS Father by the
installation into the "porches OF the
ear" of the Juice of the cursed hebe-
non." DIR. Macht inquiries, first, What
is meant by the poisonous hebenon
Secondly, is 1t possible that drugs can
be absorbed through the ear and thus
cause poisoning? ~ have attempted"
he says. ito analyze and discuss in
the light of modern science a passage
in Hamlet which Is Of extreme In
terest 10 students Of toxlcology."
1t is comforting to find that this
mode Of Staying presents such difficult
ties that II is not likely ever to be-
come a weapon in the armory of crime.
1t Is even doubtful II the great poet
was in this instance quite sure OF his
facts. 1t appears that Shakespeare in
vented the story, at least In some OF
its details. The pouring OF poison
into the ear is certainly described
for the first time In Shakespeare ac-
count, though II was probably adopted
by him from the methods OF Italian
prisoners. as. indeed. Is suggested by
HdmIcfs aside on the reenactment OF
the murder by the players. Professor
Dowden observes that the great dram
atist treats external nature as the
milieu or enveloping medium OF hu-
man passions; while ometimes in adj
dition between external nature and
human passion Shakespeare reveals
acute points OF contact" 1t seems to
follow that the injection Of poison
rather an actual fact.
But the nature OF such poison as
hebenon has long exercised the inge-
nuity Of scholars, and Dr. Macht ana
lyZes the claims Of the yew. ebony,
henbane. hemlock and belladonna.
While there is plenty Of evidence that
the yew is poisonous, especially its red
berries. there is none to show that the
ebony tree is. There Is better evil
dence in favor OF the belief that heb
enon is a synonym for henhane. The
poisonous properties OF henbane were
we'll known in Shakespeares time.
Still II Is apparently impossible to be
certain whether yew or henbane was
meant by Shakespeare. and his poetic
description OF the symptoms does not
help much in this respect
1t is interesting to note that physi-
clans have investigated experiment
ally the absorption OF drugs through
the canal OF the ear into the blood and
the production Of poisonous symptoms.
The results show that a number or
drugs like aconite. hemlock and hem
bane can be thus absorbed and that
their homicidal use in the past was
actually practised. Under present con-
ditions these drugs seem to be capable
only OF medicinal uses in this chan
mel OF absorption, yet II Is in some
sort necessary to urge the warning
implied IN these experiments.
The idea that a play may conceal
dangerous teaching offends. and Is gen.
orally slurred, but a potential danger
of this kind Is one which police au-
thorities have always recognized.