UiMBELLALES.] 



APIACE^. 



777 



montconum, whose root abounds in a white, bitter, fetid juice, employed in Courland against 

 epilepsy ; Heracleum gumniiferura, Bubon Galbanuni, Laserpitiuni glabrum, whose root 

 is violently purgative and even caustic ; Daucus gunimifer, which furnished the Sicilian 

 Bdellium of the old Pharmacopoeias, &c.,&c. The Persian Musk root (Iladix Sumbul), 

 used as a protection against mephitic vapours, and having a very powerlul smell of nnisk^ 

 is stated by MM. Reinsch and Buchner to belong to some large plant of this Order — 

 Chcm. Gaz. 1844. ()8. 

 2 



4 5 



Fig. DXV. 



For their aromatic and carminative fruits the most celebrated are Anise (Pimpi- 

 nella Anisum), Dill (Anethum graveolens), Caraway (Carum Carui), and Coriander 

 (Coriandrum sativum). Besides these, great numbers of less note are also employed 

 for the same reason, the chief of which are the Aj wains or Ajowains of India (species 

 of Ptychotis), Honewort (Sison Amomum), whose fruits smell of bugs, and Cummiu 

 (Cuminum Cyminum), now only used in veterinary practice. 



Of the poisons, Conium or Hemlock holds the first place. This is a powerfully 

 narcotico-acrid plant, occasioning stupor, delirium, palsy, and asphixia ; some authors 

 state that it produces death in the most dreadful convulsions, but this is at variance 

 with the accounts of Dr. Christison and Dr. Percira. Anthriscus vulgai'is and sylvestris 

 are reputed to have the same kind of action, but not so dangerous. The leaves of 

 iEthusa Cynapium are poisonous, producing nausea, vomiting, headache, giddiness, 

 drowsiness, spasmodic pain, numbness, «&c. CEnanthe crocata and Phellandrium are 

 perhaps the most dangerous of the narcotico-acrid Umbellifei's ; the roots are often 

 eaten, with fatal consequences, by poor people who mistake them for Parsnips. A violent 

 poison resides m the roots of Cicuta maculata ; a drachm of the fresh root has killed a 

 boy in an hour and a half ; and in America fatal accidents arising from its being 

 mistaken for other Umbellifers are not uncommon. It has been used as a substitute 

 for Conium, with similar effect, except that it is more energetic. Cicuta virosa, in like 

 manner, is a highly dangei'ous plant, producing effects similar to those of hydrocyanic 

 acid. It causes true tetanic convulsions in frequent paroxysms, and death on the 

 third day. Haller considered it the Conium of the Gi'eeks. It appears to be fatal to 

 cattle. From the roots of Lichtensteinia pyrethrifolia the Hottentots prepare an 

 intoxicating beverage. 



Fig. DXV.— 1. Is an ideal plan of a fruit divided transversely; a a is the commissure, or plane of 

 contact of the mericarps ; h h primary ridges ; c c secondary ridges. 2. Is a view of the l)ack and section 

 of the fruit of Laserpitiuni Siler ; each mericarp has tlie secondary ridges winged, the primary obsolete ; 

 there are two vittse on the commissure, and one under each secondary ridge : tliese vitta>, whidi are ca- 

 vities containing oil, are represented by dots ; the albumen is solid. 3. Sclerosciadium humile; the 

 primary ridges are corky ; there are no secondary ridges ; the vitta> alternate with the primary ridges, 

 and there is one at each edge of the commissure : the albumen is solid. 4. Discopleura capillacea ; 

 there are 5 very small primary juga, the two lateral of which are in contact with a tluckened accessory 

 margin ; there are 2 vitt;r on eacli face of the conmiissure, and one between each primary ridge ; the 

 albumen is solid. 5. Echinophora spinosa ; albumen involute ; vittae alternate with the primary ridges. 

 6. Compressed fruit of Diposis sanicula>folia ; the commissure is very narrow ; there are ft nnnute pri- 

 mary ridges ; one along the back, one along each edge, and two on the inflexed side; the albumen is 

 solid. 



