A pharmacological appreciation of Shakespeare's Hamlet : on instillation of poisons into the ear / by David I. Macht.

  • Macht, David I.
Date:
[1918]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: A pharmacological appreciation of Shakespeare's Hamlet : on instillation of poisons into the ear / by David I. Macht. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    [169] a forcible poetic description of the rapid paralysis of respiration and circulation produced by the poison used. On the Instillation of Poisons Into the Ear The method of jioisoning described in connection with the murder of HamlePs father is unique and unusual. Although drugs were used in treatment of ear affections in ancient times, no reference is found of their instillation into the ears for homicidal purposes. The doubtful credit for such finesse in the administration of poisons must be ascribed to medieval experts and more particularly to the Italians and French. A character in one of the old plays says Poison speaks Italian.’^ It is well known that poisoning rose to the distinction of an art at that time in Italy and France. A perusal of fascinating books dealing with professional poisoning in the Middle Ages, such as those by Legue or by Thompson and others, will furnish astounding corroboration of this fact. One of the famous older works dealing with the art of poisoning is the Magia Naturalis or Natural Magie of the Italian de la Porta. This writer discusses various subjects, and in a chapter on cookery gives some delicious recipes for demoniacal con¬ coctions calculated to produce unfailing results. The follow¬ ing example from de la Porta, quoted by Thompson, will serve as a good illustration of some of the poisonous concoc¬ tions used in his times. Venenum Lupinum “ Take of powdered leaves of aconitum lycoctonum, taxus baccata, with powdered glass, caustic lime, sul¬ phide of arsenic and bitter almonds; mix them with ' honey and make into pills the size of a hazelnut.” That such experts in the art of poisoning should have thought of instilling poisons into the ear is therefore not surprising. We find several references to such a procedure in old English litera¬ ture. The following is a quotation from Marlowe^s Edward II, Act V, Scene 4: ” I learned in Naples how to poison flowers: To strangle with a lawn thrust down the throat; To pierce the windpipe with a needle’s point;