60 MEDICINAL HEKBS AND POISONOUS PLANTS 



ACONITK. 



Tapering. 



Taste produces numbness of 



mouth and lips. 

 White when cut, but slowly 



reddens. 

 Secondaiy roots curly. 



HOR^^E-KADISH. 



Cylindrical, not tapering. 



Hot and bitter to taste, but no 

 numbness. 



White when cut ; does not red- 

 den. 



Secondary loots straight. 



Monkshood should never be grown in a kitchen garden, 

 as, though the roots of Monkshood and Horse-radish 

 show marked difFereuee when examined together, these 



are easily overlooked by the ignorant, who in most cases 

 have never heard of Monkshood, and are not aware that 

 any danger is to be feared from picking up its roots for 

 those of Horse-radish. 



Medicinal Properties, — When applied to the skiu, pre- 

 parations of Aconite produce a feeling of numbness. 

 They are used extensively in certain forms of neuralgia 

 and rheumatism. When taken internally, Aconite pro- 

 duces a stead}^ fall of temperature and a lowering of the 

 power to feel pain, so that it is given in cases of fever 

 and pain. 



Distribution. — Although not a native plant, Monks- 

 hood is very widely distributed in our gardens, and 

 grows wild in some places in the West of England 

 and South Wales. 



Collection. — The root should be collected in autunm 

 after the rest of the plant has died down. 



Present Source of Sv.jyply. — Formerly the chief source 

 was Switzerland. As this supply came via Germany it 

 is probably cut off during the War. The price of the 

 Continental root is 506*. a cw^t. Japan is another source 

 of supply, the root being derived from another species, 

 Aconituni Fischer L This root commands about So-v. 

 a cwt. Tlie English root is ordinarily worth about 

 2>.-, a lb. The drug deteriorates rapidly in drying, and 



