57 



showed any ill effects from treatment with aerial parts. Two showed 

 sharp inflammation from rubbing the skin with the root, but neither 

 showed any indication of ulcers although the inflammation was left un- 

 treated. Inflammatory symptoms disappeared at the end of the sixth day, 

 in both cases. 



The familiar May Apple (Podaphyllum peltatum L.) has been included 

 in the lists of plants poisonous by contact from the earliest times. Both 

 leaves and roots are said to be "poisonous and drastic" by some authors; 

 others content themselves with the statement "rather poisonous''; still 

 others attribute the "poisonous principle chiefly to the root, the powder of 

 which affects the mucous membranes." Of the truth of the last state- 

 ment there can be no doubt, as scores of careless or Ignorant workers in 

 the laboratories of manufacturing pharmacists can testify. Concerning 

 the other two, there is at least room for reasonable doubt. No record has 

 come to my notice of any case of poisoning from the mere handling, and 

 I have in the past few j'ears directed the work of classes in such a way as 

 to secure the maximum amount of handling of every part of the plant. 

 Twenty subjects submitted to the rubbiu-j process, using aerial parts of 

 the plant, and nineteen showed no signs of inflammation. One was a sub- 

 ject referred to in a previous paragraph as peculiarly susceptible to in- 

 flammation after skin lesions of any sort. In this case a rather pei'sistent 

 inflammation followed the experiment, requiring between two and three 

 weeks' treatment before it Avas completely reduced. Five submitted to 

 the rubbing process with fresh roots with no untoward results. The irri- 

 tating elfect of the dry powder of the root upon mucous membranes was 

 considered too well established to need verification. It is a safe inference 

 that any part of the May Apple may be handled with safety, even the 

 dry root being apparently harmless, and only irritating when in the form 

 of a finely comminuted powder. 



The common Bloodroot (Sanguinaria Canadensis L.) is another plant 

 regarded with suspicion by some authors. It is said that the "dust of the 

 dried root is irritating and that frequently the handling of the root 

 poisons." No experiments were made as to the effect of the dust pro- 

 duced by the grinding of dried roots, but both dried and fresh roots were 

 persistently handled witliout record of poisoning in a single case out of 

 seventeen. Seven showed no ill effects from rubbing the arm with the 

 Iresh root. 



