66-2 
PART USED AND PREPARATION.—The whole fresh plant, when in flower 
and fruit, is treated as directed under Eryngium (62), The resulting tincture has 
a clear, orange-brown color by transmitted light; a fetid, disagreeable odor; an 
acrid taste; and an acid reaction. 
CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS.—Cyxapin. This alkaloid was discovered by 
Ficinus, who describes it as crystallizing in prisms that are soluble both in alcohol 
and water, but not in ether, and as having an alkaline reaction, and forming a 
crystallizable salt with sulphuric acid.* Walz describes an alkaloid, resulting as 
a volatile oily liquid, in which he is upheld by the experiments of Bernhart,+ who 
succeeded in isolating a like substance, which he describes as having a strong 
alkaline reaction, an exceedingly penetrating, offensive odor, and as being soluble . 
in alcohol. The body seems, as yet, to have received no further investigation, 
PHYSIOLOGICAL ACTION.—The following excerpt, from one of the promi- 
nent botanical journals,t being of late date, serves to introduce this rubric: 
“*« Fool's Farsley’ not Fotsonous.— For several centuries the plant “thusa 
Cynapium, L., has been the object of suspicion, and classed among poisons by 
botanists and toxicological writers. But now Dr. John Harley, of England, comes 
forward and presents a vindication of what he calls ‘an innocent and harmless 
plant.’ In the St. Thomas’ Hospital Reports, he relates a number of facts to prove 
the correctness of his conclusions. The juices of the plant, from the root as well 
as from the leaves, were obtained by expression just before flowering, and also 
after the plants had reached maturity and set fruit. Being thus provided with a_ 
supply of material, representing the active properties of the plant, he exhausted 
it upon four patients,—one a little girl, four years old, who took the extract in quan- 
tities ranging from 2 drachms to 2 ounces; himself, who took it in quantities 
ranging from 2 to 4 fluid ounces; and two other adults, who were the subjects of 
spasmodic wry-neck. These two took one or other of the juices, in doses ranging 
from 1 to 8 fluid ounces. Effects were anxiously looked for, but absolutely none 
foliowed in any of the cases, Dr. Harley therefore feels compelled to assert that = 
<Ethusa Cynapium of Sussex, Essex, Kent, Surrey, and Hertfordshire, is not only 
absolutely free from the noxious properties attributed to it, but that it is pleasant 
to sight, smell, and taste, and, in the absence of the more fragrant and succulent 
plants, might well be used asa pot-herb or salad. He is satisfied, further, that 
his conclusions are independent both of locality and season, and that the only 
influence which these conditions have on Fool’s Parsley, as on hemlock (Contum 
maculatum), is to increase or diminish its succulency. Dr. Harley, some years 
ago, made some observations on the last-mentioned plant, and came to the same 
conclusion in regard to its innocuous nature that he has concerning that of the 
“Ethusa, In connection with this, it may be stated that Conium maculatum, 0 
northern latitudes—Russia for example—is eaten with impunity, although precau- 
tion is taken to first boil it in several waters. This subject of the harmlessness, 
under certain conditions, of plants reputed to be poisonous, recalls to mind the 
* Wittstein. t Arch. de Phar., 1880, 117 (Am, Jour. Phar., 1880, 204). t Bull. Torr. Club, 1881, 9. 
