736 ORD. XLVI. Liliacee. VERATRUM ALBUM. 
It appears from various instances, that not only the roots of 
white Hellebore, but that every “part of the plant is extremely 
acrid and poisonous, as its leaves and even seeds proved deleterious 
to different animals.‘ The dried root has no peculiar smell, but 
a durable nauseous acrid bitterish taste, burning the mouth and 
fauces ; when powdered and applied to issues or ulcers it produces 
rriping and purging; if snuffed up the nose it proves a violent 
sternutatory. Gesner made an infusion of half an ounce of this 
root with two ounces of water, of this he took two drams, which 
produced great heat about the scapule, and in the face and head, 
as well as the tongue and throat, followed with singultus, which 
continued till vomiting was excited.* Bergius also experienced 
very distressing symptoms merely by tasting this infusion... The 
root, taken in large doses, discovers such acrimony, and operates 
mpwards and deunwanie with such viglence that blood is usually 
dat te_very erfully upon the nervous 
system, , producing great anxiety, tremors, vertigo, syncope, loss of 
voice, interrupted respiration, sinking of the pulse, convulsions, 
spasms, cold sweats, &c." Upon opening those who have died by ~ 
the effects of this poison, the stomach discovered marks of inflam- 
mation, with corrosions of its interior coat, and the lungs have 
been found inflamed, and their vessels much distended with dark 
blood.’ 
The ancients, aan sufficiently sequeiniet with the virulency © 
of their white Hellebore, were not deterred from employing it 
“ See Pallas, Russ. Reise, vol. i. p. 49. Kilam’s N. Amer. tom. iii. p. 48. 
Gunner, Ft. Norveg. P. ti. p. 2. For the poisonous effects of the roots, when 
applied to wounds of different animals, Vide Phil. Trans. vol. xlvii. p. 82. 
© Epist. Med. p. 69. ‘ M. M. p. 819. 
é Ettmaller. Oper. tom. ii. P. 2. p. 435. 
* Wepfer, de Cicut. p. 48. Lorry de Melanch. ii. p. 313. Borrich. Act. Haf. 
vol. vi. p. 145. “Albert. Jurisprud. Med. vol. vé. p.718. Bres). Samml, 1724. P. 
2. p. 269. p, 537. Act. Berol. Dec. 2. vol. 6. Misc. Nat. Cur. Dec, 2. Ann. 2. 
p- 239. oo 
‘ Act. Berol. cit. Misc. Nat. Cur. cit. 
