VEGETABLE AND MINERAL POISONS 



proved by the numerous deaths following its ingestion. Its 

 toxic effects, in some cases but not in others, thus becomes 

 a mystery. Two Pheasants were recently picked up dead 

 by the head-keeper in a garden adjacent to his master's 

 coverts, and they were forwarded to the writer to be post- 

 mortemed. In both birds the crops and gizzards contained 

 large quantities of Yew leaves, in addition to beans, whilst 

 throughout the whole length of the intestines there was 

 acute inflammation of the bowels, evidently of rapid origin, 

 obviously the outcome of the toxic material contained in 

 the Yew leaves. This occurred during the latter end of 

 September or the beginning of October, but the consumption 

 of the Yew had not been due to shortaoe of food, as the 

 birds were well-nourished and had plenty of facilities for 

 obtaining suitable food. Analogous instances of Yew poison- 

 ing are also recorded in Tegetmeier's book on Pheasants. 

 Therein reference is also made to some experiments con- 

 ducted at the Agricultural College at Downton, by Stuart 

 Wortley, as to the amount of poisonous principle contained 

 in the male and female plants, which, according to his 

 experiments, tends to show that the toxicological principle — 

 taxine — exists in the leaves of the male plant only. Feed- 

 ing experiments of a similar kind were conducted by Sir 

 John M'Fadyean at the Royal Veterinary College, Camden 

 Town, but the writer is not aware that any definite conclu- 

 sion was arrived at. 



To plant Yew trees in the neighbourhood of coverts or 

 hedgerows must be condemned, as there are plenty of other 

 shrubs, less harmful, that will fulfil all the conditions of the 

 Yew. Pheasants, after partaking of this plant, die with 

 almost apoplectic suddenness, but it is reasonable to assume 

 that when the crop is fairly well filled with other food 

 the deadly effects of the plant will be of a less acute nature. 



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