454 ERYTHRONIUM AMERICANUM. 
In its power of acting on the alimentary canal, 
it resembles many other plants, which are related _ 
to itin botanieal habit. The Squill, Colchicum, 
and Aloe are examples of this class, and even the 
common Daffodil and Tulip are found to be 
emetic. I have known a family of children to be 
taken with violent vomiting from having, by 
mistake, dug up, roasted and eaten some Tulip 
roots, supposing them to be Artichokes. 
It is probable that the medicinal activity of 
the Erythronium is of a volatile nature, capable 
of being dissipated by heat. Its farinaceous 
portion, when duly separated, is no doubt innox- 
ious. Gmelin, in his Flora Sibirica, states, that 
. the Tartars collect and dry the roots of Erythro- 
nium dens canis, and boil them either with milk 
or broth, and consider them as very. nutritious 
food. They are said nearly to resemble salep. 
It is remarkable that farinaceous roots, which 
possess active and even virulent qualities, do not 
impart them to the fecula, which constitutes so 
large a portion of their bulk. The different 
species of Arum, Calla, and the Jatropha Mani- 
hot are examples of this fact, affording nutritious 
bread, although their crude juices are more or 
less poisonous. 
$58 oe: 
Re J 
