AMERICAN HELLEBORE. 425 
with the roots of this: plant, which he denominates 
“white hellebore.”: Ax came vei ‘this root ‘was 
repeatedly given:to each individual, and. he whose 
stomach made the most: vigorous) resistance: or 
soonest recovered from its effects was considered 
the stoutest of the party: and entitled to lopiamied 
therést: 69) | caulaceath 
» Kalm tells us: that: the iui’ of » this , eubibly 
ate time of his trayels, employed a decoction of 
this plant externally: in) the) cure of seorbutic af- 
fections, and for the destruction of vermin. He 
further states, that corn before planting was soak- 
ed in astrong decoction of the Veratrum to protect 
it against the birds, which infest: our: fields and 
devour: the grain after it sis: deposited in: the 
ground. When the corn» is; thus: prepared, it :is 
observed; that: those birds which: swallow it  be- 
come giddy and (fall to: the, ground, an.example, 
the writer: informs.us; ‘whiely has the effect, to 
: — the ee mel — from the 
place. « asad aad ti stasia 
- gai Smee ae s alsheigs scieiailct by sha: amie, 
white hellebore/as’a:remedy» forsgout, that plant 
being for a time supposed -the basis of the. cele- 
brated Eaw meidicinale; the. attention of some. 
practitioners has! been’ turned. to investigating the 
properties of the American plant, which so close- 
