OCR Text |
Show 316 WATER HEMLOCK. anybad effect; but of the fatal effects of its root whenfresh, numerous instances are recorded. Of two boys and six girls, who ate of this root for that of parsnip, the greater part died in a short time afterwards, those only escaping who were enabled to discharge it by vomiting. The symptoms it produced were intoxication, vertigo, great heat and pain in the stomach, convulsions, and even epilepsy, distortions of the eyes, vomit. ing or retching, a discharge of blood from the ears, swelling of the abdomen, hiccup, spasms, &c. In the case of a man who had eaten of this poisonous root, we are told the symptoms were vertigo, succeeded bydelirium, with constant heat at the stomach, and inextinguishable thirst: these symptoms were of Jong continuance, and followed by an erysipelatous tumour of the neck. To cite all the instances related of the deleterious effects of this root would be unnecessary, as those here stated from Wepfer will sufficiently show the train of symptoms whichusually follow the taking of this poison. It may be observed, however, that in most of the cases in which it proved fatal, the patients died in a convulsed or epileptic state, and that wheneverthe root was rejected by vomiting, only a slight degree of stupefaction was for a few hours experienced. « Onexamination of the bodies of those who perished byeating this root, we are told that the stomach and intestines were discovered to be inflamed, and even in a gangrenous or eroded state, and the blood-vessels of the brain much distended. To several brutes this plant has likewise proved mortal ; but the facts upon this point are somewhat vague and various. Thoughsaid to be a fatal poison to cows, it is eaten with impunity by goats and sheep. As an internal medicine the Cicuta aquatica is universally su- perseded by the common hemlock ; but externally employed in the way of a poultice, it is said to afford relief in various fixed pains, especially those of the rheumatic and arthritic kind. COMMON HEMLOCK. CONIUM MACULATUM. Class ¥. Pentandria. Order U1. Digynia. Kent. GEN, Cuar. Involucella dimidiate, subtriphyllous: Fruit subGlobular, having five strie, crenate on bothsides. a DESCRIPTION. Ta root is biennial, tapering, sometimes forked, eight or ten inches long, and about the thickness of a finger: the stalk is five or six feet high, round, shining, beset with brown and purplish specks; towards the top branched and striated; near the bottom about three inches in circumference, and covered with a blueish exudation, appearing like a fine powder: the lowerleaves are very large, tripinnated, of a shining green colour, standing upon long, striated, concave footstalks, which Proceed from the Joints of the stem; the upper and smaller leaves are bipinnated, and placed at the divisions of the branches : |