72 POISONOUS PLANTS 



into the interior ; as may be easily seen in the 

 pea and bean, etc. 



Broom-tops are used in medicine, as they contain 

 certain principles, one of which when obtained 

 pure by the chemist is called sparteine^ and is very 

 poisonous and narcotic. 



It is said that shepherds are well acquainted 

 with the narcotic properties of the broom ; having 

 observed that sheep become at first excited and 

 then stupefied after eating it. 



The seeds have similar properties to broom- 

 tops. 



Laburnum {C. Labtirmim). — This is certainly 

 one of the most poisonous of all trees cultivated in 

 gardens. Children have repeatedly picked out the 

 unripe seeds and eaten them, or masticated the 

 green pods. Again, a boys' school, once finding 

 laburnum trees thrown away, chewed the roots on 

 discovering that they possessed a flavour of liquor- 

 ice ; but although fatal results do not seem to have 

 followed on that occasion, the sufferers were made 

 seriously ill with all the symptoms of narcotic 

 poisoning. 



Indeed, all parts of the tree are harmful : roots, 

 bark, wood, leaves, flower-buds, petals, pods, and 

 seeds. No part can be put in the mouth without 

 risk. 



Drying has no influence upon the poisonous 

 property, as it is not volatile. Even boiling the 



