THE STRUCTURF OF THE FLOWER 13 



THE CLASSIFICATION OF POISONS 



A poison has been defined as anything — apart from 

 heat or electricity — which is capable of destroying life 

 by absorption into the living system. 



When a poison enters the system it may act on all the 

 tissues with wliich it comes in contact, or it may pass 

 nito the circulation and act on organs more or less remote 

 from tlie point of entry. So far as the vegetable poisons 

 are concerned, they may be divided into four groups as 

 follows; 



1. Irritants, e.g. Colchicum and Squill. 



2. Karcotic, (a) Somniferous, e.g. Opium. 



(h) Deliriant, e.g. Belladonna. 

 (c) Inebriant, e.g. Indian Hemp. 



3. Sedative, (a) Cardiac, e.g. Digitalis. 



(6) Cerebral, e.g. Prussic Acid, 

 (o) Neural, e.g. Aconite. 



4. Excito-motory , e.g. Strychnia. 



An Irritant produces irritation or excitement of any 

 muscle, nerve, or other organ of the body; thus Colchi- 

 cum poisoning produces vomiting, violent diarrhoea, 

 gastric burning, abdominal pains, &c. as results of the 

 irritation set up in various organs. 



A Narcotic is a substance which produces sleep or 

 torpor. Opium, for example, induces drowsiness, ending 

 iii profound insensibility. In the later stages of Opium 

 poisoning the muscles become relaxed and the pulse 

 very weak. In Belladonna poisoning the victim becomes 

 delirious, w^hilat in poisoning from the drug which is 

 used by the natives of the Malay Peninsula, namely 

 Indian Hemp {Cannabis inclica), giddiness, drowsiness, 

 and a sensation of going mad are experienced. 



