1 68 POISONOUS PLANTS 



the peasants used to collect the tubers, and 

 having ground them into a pulp, they were then 

 baked, reduced to powder, and eaten as " Portland 

 Sago." 



The plant was also called Starch-wort, as it was 

 used for stiffening the ruffs and frills worn by 

 gentlemen and ladies in the reign of Queen Eliza- 

 beth. Gerarde in his Herball says — " The most 

 pure and white starch is made of the rootes of the 

 Cuckow-pint ; but most hurtfull for the hands of the 

 laundresse that hath the handling of it ; for it 

 choppeth, blistereth, and maketh the hands rough 

 and rugged, and withall smarting." 



Gilbert White records his observation that 

 thrushes will scratch up the tubers and eat them 

 in severe winters ; and that the berries are devoured 

 by pheasants.^ 



1 The treatment recommended by Dr. Tanner for cases 

 of poisoning by Lords and Ladies^ or Ctickoo-pifzt {Arum 

 maadaticm\ is to give emetics, unless spontaneous vomiting 

 has freely taken place, when it may merely be encouraged 

 by the use of diluents. If the irritant has passed into the 

 intestines, it must be carried off by purgatives, especially 

 by castor-oil. Emollient enemata, and fomentations to the 

 abdomen will subsequently be found useful. 



