Wild Parsnep. Fool's Parsley. Hamburgh Parsley. 627. PRUNUS Lauro-cerasus. THE COMON LAUREL.--The leaves of the laurel have a bitter taste, with a flavour resembling that of the kernels of the peach or apricot; they communicate an agreeable flavour to aqueous and spirituous fluids, either by infusion or distillation. The distilled water applied to the organs of smelling strongly impresses the mind with the same ideas as arise from the taste of peach blossoms or apricot kernels: it is so extremely deleterious in its nature, and sometimes so sudden in its operation, as to occasion instantaneous death; but it more frequently happens that epileptic symptoms are first produced. This poison was discovered by accident in Ireland in the year 1728: before which, it was no uncommon practice there, to add a certain quantity of laurel water to brandy, or other spirituous liquors, to render them agreeable to the palate. At that time three women drank some laurel-water; and one of them a short time afterwards became violently disordered, lost her speech, and died in about an hour. A gentleman at Guildford, some few years back, also, by making an experiment as he intended on himself, was poisoned by a small dose: he did not survive the taking it more than two hours. In consequence of the above poisonous principle existing in the laurel, it has been recommended to persons to be cautious hwo they make use of the leaves of that shrub, which is a usual practice with cooks for giving flavour to custards, blanch-mange, and other made-dishes, lest the narcotic principle should be also conveyed, to the detriment of the health of persons who eat of them.