150 POISONOUS PLANTS 



violently purgative, like Croton oil. It speedily 

 becomes rancid, and has then a disagreeable action. 



When green the ovary of the three-lobed pistil 

 contains the poisonous milky sap, and is very acrid ; 

 but after having been steeped in salt-and-water, 

 and then in vinegar, the poisonous property becomes 

 neutralized, or at least reduced in its virulence, so 

 as to render it inert in the amount of the pickle 

 usually eaten. 



Since, however, it has no advantage — rather the 

 reverse — over other vegetables, the practice of 

 pickling it should be discountenanced. The milky 

 juice which characterizes all the species is acrid 

 and poisonous, while the seeds contain an extremely 

 purgative oil, called "oil of euphorbia." This is 

 very well known in the genus Rtcinus, or Castor-oil 

 plant, and in the Crotons, both belonging to this 

 family. 



On the Continent peasants not infrequently use 

 the seeds of the Caper Spurge as purgatives, but 

 have suffered in consequence. 



Only very young animals eat it. Older ones 

 refuse it. Nevertheless cases of their having been 

 poisoned by it are recorded. The goat, however, 

 is said to be nourished on it, but the milk of 

 such goats conveys the deleterious properties to 

 the consumer. 



The juice of Spurges applied to the skin acts as 

 an irritant and vesicant, whether outside or in the 



