THE IXCOMPLET.E 



39 



in all Eiipliorbias, the niilkj^ juice is acrid and poisonous. 

 The seeds yield an oil which is violently purgative and 

 speedily becomes rancid. The green pistil contains the 

 acrid milky juice, the poison of which is stated to be 

 ]ieutralized when steeped in salt and water and then in 

 vinegar. Tlie poison being thus removed, the fruit can 

 be used in a pickle like any other edible vegetable, but 

 the danger is too great and the gain too snial] to make 

 experiments in this direc- 

 tion desirable. On the Con- 



tinent the peasants some- 

 times use tlie seeds of this 

 plant as a purgative, but 

 in many cases not without 

 nijunous efiects, as, in ad- 

 dition to 

 tive, the poison acts as a 

 strong irritant, causing in- 



being a 



purga 



Fig. IS." leaves of Caper Spurjie 

 (Knphorhia hathyrh) 



ternal and external painful 



blisters. The record against this species is a black one, 



children being the chief sufferers. 



The Petty Spurge (Enjyhorbia Peplns).—A. very 



eouimon weed, distinguished by its pale hue: it readies 

 6-10 inches from the ground. The umbel bearing the 

 flowers has only three rays. It is known that, m one 

 case at least, a boy has died of eating tliis plant. 



In the case of tlie other species the fact of their 

 having no records against tliem is in all probability 

 mainly due to their not having been put to the same 

 tewt. The seeds of members of this order are largely 

 employed by quacks who profess to cure the ailments 

 of ignorant folk. AVhen taken internally their use is 

 iindoubtedly fraught with danger. 



Box (Buxus semperviren s).— At the present day the 

 "!5e of this plant as borders for garden paths and lawns 



