U MEDICINAL HERBS AND POISONOUS PLANTS 



A Sedative is a drug which allays irritation and 

 assuages pain. The effect of Digitalis is to slow down 

 the beating of the heart, producing a feeling of faintness 

 and drowsiness. Pyussic acid produces unconsciousness 

 and loss of muscular power; these and other symptoms 

 are the result of the operation of the poison on the 

 nervous system. Xhe effect of Aconite is to produce a 

 feeling of numbness over the body find limbs, a sensation 

 of burniqg in the throat, nausea, giddiness, loss of the 

 power of speech, and unconsciousness. 



Of the Excito-motory poisons Strychnia is the best 

 example. The absorption of the poison is shown by 

 the twitching of the muscles of the neck, body, and 

 limbs, but there is retention of the senses. 



Most of the poisons cited above, although so deadly 



in their operations, are among the most valuable of our 



medicines. This shows us that the difference between 



a medicine and a poison is a matter of degree, not of 



kind. Under one set of circumstances the absorption of 



a drug may result in beneficia], in other circumstances 



in injurious results. Again, whilst a certain dose may 



be beneficial under certain circumstances, the doubb"*^'- 

 of it mav nroduce fatal pfTHr-fs All rli'iir^-c aTir»ni/i 



be 



as 



be made is between poisons 



to 



man. 



I 



