Betel nut? (a guess of the uninformed variety)
Dorothy Attneave
>Can anyone help me identify a hallucinogenic nut in 'The famous Ratketcher',
>an early broadside in the Pepys Collection sung to the tune of The Joviall
>Tinker. The hero travels through England and France carrying out abortions
>and purging syphilitics (as one does), while taking part in any adventures
>that come his way. One of the verses lists the various drugs he carried with
>him:
> "He knew the Nut of India,
> That makes the Magpie stagger:
> The Mercuries, and cantharies,
> With Arsnice, and Roseaker."
>What exactly is the Nut of India here? Nutmeg perhaps? Does it refer to Asian
>or 'American' India? The context, with references to a well-known cure for
>syphilis and an aphrodisiac, is obviously a sexual one. I'd be glad of any
>informed (or uninformed) guesses. In case anyone's wondering abut the limits
>of Staggering Magpie territory, India does have several species.
>
>Apologies if you get duplicate versions of this: I've sent it to several
>lists.
>Gerald Porter
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