THE ALUMNI JOURNAL. 



319 



served a prickling sensation, especially in 

 the head, sleepiness, gastric heat, dizzi- 

 ness, great fatigue, especially in the mus- 

 cles of mastication, contraction of the 

 stomach, gradually forcing out the con- 

 tents through the oesophagus, vomiting 

 without nausea, but paroxysmal and re- 

 peated, impaired vision amounting to 

 blindness, increased on taking the erect 

 position, cool perspiration, salivation, and 

 no catharsis. The symptoms were relieved 

 by alcoholic stimulants. The pulse was 

 slow, weak and frequent, forty to the 

 minute. The writer also referred to simi- 

 lar symptoms in others who had experi- 

 mented with it. He commented upon the 

 similarity of these symptoms to those of 

 veratutn poisoning, but pointed out that 

 they were slower in their onset, more 

 narcotic and less emetic, the muscular 

 weakness quicker and greater and no 

 muscular cramp as caused by veratum. 

 As the results were slower in developing 

 so they were slower in disappearing, than 

 in the case of veratum. An examination 

 of the leaves has demonstrated the pres- 

 ence of andromedatoxin, a poisonous 

 glucoside very generally distributed in 

 the evergreen leaves of the Ericaceae. 



Concerning Pieris Mariana, also we 

 have only country legends to guide us. It 

 is also known as L,amb-kill, but more 

 commonly as Stagger-bush, which sug- 

 gests the narcotic nature of the poisoning 

 which it is said to occasion. Its activity 

 is doubtless due to the presence in it of 

 andromedatoxin. 



In this connection note may be taken 

 of the fact that of two species of L,edum, 

 a closely related genus, one, the L.Grcen- 

 landicum Oeder, is freely used as a 

 beverage, substituting tea, and known as 

 Labrador tea, while the other, L. palus- 

 tre L , is strongly poisonous through 

 the andromedatoxin which it contains. 



Reference has been made to the vesical 

 irritation caused by over-eating of horse- 

 radish. Precisely the same can occur from 



over-eating of the ordinary water-cress. A 

 case has come under my own observation 

 in which a man ate to excess of them after 

 a long fast, and taking no other food in 

 connection with them, thus hastened ab- 

 sorption and excretion. The most intense 

 suffering and anxiety resulted. 



Somewhat similar in kind are the symp- 

 toms caused by the junipers. The 

 agonizing and deadly effects of over- 

 dosing with oil of savin are well known. 

 Other species of Coniferous plants share 

 these properties in variable degree, al- 

 though there is no reason to expect that 

 they will be eaten. 



The same thing is true of various 

 species of buttercup and other plants of 

 the Ranunculaceas. Johnson says their 

 internal use is not either desirable or safe. 

 The distillate of Ranunculus Flamula is 

 powerfully emetic and the roots ofR. 

 Thora are very poisonous. Various cases 

 ot poisoning of domestic animals by these 

 plants are recorded. Even applied to the 

 external skin, they act severely as blister- 

 ing agents. A species of Clematis is used 

 by the Cubans to blister the face for 

 toothache, and this and other species are 

 similarly used for rheumatism. It is said 

 that beggars have used the juice of Ran- 

 unculus Sceleratus L,. to make pitiful 

 sores upon their bodies. The sores so 

 caused, are said to produce little pain, 

 but are very obstinate in resisting 

 a cure and have a great tendency to 

 slough. Because of the painlessness and 

 because there is no danger of poisoning 

 by absorption as in the case of Cantha- 

 rides, it has been proposed to substitute 

 the fresh juice of these plants for the lat- 

 ter in scientific treatment. But the un- 

 controllable nature of the ulcer is con- 

 sidered a bar to such practice. Poison- 

 ing accidents from eating these plants 

 may be regarded as improbable, owing 

 to the painfully acrid effects upon the 

 mouth. 



The same acrid taste militates agaimt 



