46 POISONOUS PLANTS 



Though cultivation somewhat reduces the 

 noxious properties, it does so to so slight a degree 

 that many families have been poisoned by eating 

 the root in mistake for horse-radish. It is difficult 

 to conceive how the mistake arose at first ; but it 

 has been suggested that after scraping a root of 

 horse-radish to a point, it has been replaced in the 

 ground ; since having a crown-bud at the top, it 

 would grow again. Subsequently a root of aconite 

 was presumably taken up, under the impression it 

 was the former scraped root, which had acquired a 

 similar pointed shape. 



At all events, the Aconite should never be grown 

 among kitchen hetJDS of any sort, even if it be 

 planted for its flowers in a herbaceous border. 



Aconite has a root which is (i) conical and taper- 

 ing to a point. (2) It is externally of an earthy- 

 brozvn colour ; (3) white internally, and of an (4) 

 earthy smell. It has at first (5) a bitter taste ; but 

 soon afterwards (6) it leaves a disagreeable tingling 

 and numbness. 



Horse-radish root is (i) long, cylindrical, or 

 nearly so, and of the same thickness for many 

 inches. (2) It is externally whitish-yellow ; (3) 

 and also internally ; but it has a (4) pungent 

 odour when scraped. Its taste is (5) sometimes 

 bitter ; but it produces an (6) immediate pungent 

 sensation. 



It is difficult to understand how the root of 



