DICOTYLEDONS I47 



The bark is very acrid, and if applied to the skin 

 causes eruptions. If put in the mouth and masticated, 

 it produces a sensation of burning, and if swallowed, 

 it has drastic and narcotic effects. It has even 

 proved fatal to children. No animal will touch it. 



In addition to the acridity characteristic of both 

 the Daphnes, the berries act in a manner somewhat 

 similarly to Monkshood and the Deadly Night- 

 shade. As the irritant action is the greatest danger, 

 the subjoined remedy should be given.^ 



The Mistletoe Family {Loranthaccce). — 

 Though the foliage is often given to animals as 

 fodder on the Continent, particularly to ruminants, 

 who like it, yet the berries appear to have injurious 

 effects. A case is on record of a little boy who 

 ate some dozen of the berries, and the symptoms 

 were those of alcoholic poisoning. Their glutinous 

 character can hardly render them very attractive, 

 but they are certainly to be avoided. 



Spurge Family {Euphorbiacece). — We have only 

 three genera of this family in Great Britain, viz. 

 twelve species of Spurge, the Box, and two species 



* Antidote to poisoning by Mezereon and Spurge-laurel 

 {Daphne) : — Gruel and barley-water should be taken to 

 encourage the vomiting the berries occasion ; and castor-oil 

 in preference to other cathartic medicine. 



Dr. Tanner says : — Emetics, unless spontaneous vomiting 

 has freely taken place, when it may merely be encouraged 

 by the use of diluents. If the poison has entered the intes- 

 tine it must be removed by castor-oil. 



