40 MEDICINAL HERBS AND POISONOUS PLANTS 



has been largely discontinued, and its appearance on 

 the grounds of a house usually indicates that the house 

 in question has not been recently built. 



Box can be recognized by the following character- 

 istics; 



1. The flowers are Avhite and have 4 stamens. 



2. The plant is an evergreen slirub. 



3. Except in Surrey, it is found only an a border for 



plots, paths, &:c, 



4. The leaves are oval, and ha^'e a small notch at the 



apex (see fig, 19). 



Box is injurious to men and animals. It has been 



fraudulently used in place of hops in the 

 making of beer because of its bitter taste, 

 with disastrous consequences. It has also been 

 used for the adulteration of Senna leav^es. A 

 case came within the experience of the writer, 



Fi<> 19 - ^^ which on one occasion several sheep died 

 Box Leaf after eating Box leaves which had been given 



to them by a child. 

 The poisonous principle is emetic and purgative. For- 

 tunately, so far as man is concerned, the leaf is both 

 bitter and nauseous to the human palate. In Persia, 

 liowever, where this plant is abundant, camels will eat 

 the leaves voraciously, with disastrous results; in fact, 

 in some districts it is not possible to keep animals, on 

 account of the abundance of the Box plant. It has been 

 stated that the porcupine can eat the leaves and twigs with 

 impunity. This is remarkable, if true, for even pigs are 

 known to have succumbed after having eat* mi the plant. 

 Mercurv: — 



Dog's Mercury (Merciirialis pevennis). 

 Annual Mercury (Alercurialis annual 



In this country, Dog's Mercurv is much more common 



