450 MANUAL OF POISONOUS PLANTS 



ous. This root contains the chemical substance atisin C,,Hg^NO„, an intensely- 

 bitter alkaloid. The European aconite contains aconitin Cg^H NO , pseudo 

 aconitin C^^H^^l^O^^, and aconin H^gC^gNOj^. The North American species 

 A. septentrionale contains, according to Rosendal, the following alkaloids : 

 lappakonitin, Cg^H^gN,Og, a crystallized form; septentrionaUn Cgj^H^gNjOg, and 

 synaktonin CgyHj^gN^O^g. 



Blyth who has collected records of poisoning in Europe by aconite states 

 that there have been two cases of murder, seven suicidal, seventy-seven more or 

 less accidental; six were from the action of the alkaloid, ten from the root, 

 and in two cases, children ate the flower, in one case, the leaves of the plant 

 were cooked and eaten by mistake, in seven cases, the tincture was mistaken 

 for brand}', sherry or liquor, in the remainder of the cases the tincture, the lini- 

 ment or the extract was used. The Indian species are much used, especially A. 

 ferox, which is applied to poison stock and arrows, the latter to destroy the wild 

 animals. It is a common practice to mix a decoction of the root with water or 

 food. 



Dunstan and Anderson * summarize the alkaloids obtained from Aconitum 

 as follows : — "The first, a toxic group, of which the type is ordinary aconitin, 

 contains alkaloids which are diacyl esters of a series of poly-hydric bases con- 

 taining four methoxyl groups, the aconines." 



"The members of this group are: — 



Aconitin from Aconitum napellus. 



Japaconitin from Aconitum deinorrhysum. 



Bikhaconitin from Aconitum spicatus. 



Ivdaconitin from Aconitum chasmanthum." 



These are all highly poisonous. 



The second group is the atisin group which contains atisin from A. hetero- 

 phyllum and palmatin from A. palmatum. These are non-poisonous alkaloids. 



Aconitum columbianum Nutt. Western Aconite 



An erect, stout perennial, 3-6 feet high, more or less pubescent above, with 

 short, spreading or viscid hairs; divisions of the leaves broadly cuneate and 

 toothed, lobed; flowers purple or white, in a loose terminal raceme; hood vari- 

 able in breadth and length of beak. 



Distribution. Grows at an altitude of 5000-10,000 feet in low grounds, 

 near brooks and springs, from Montana, Wyoming and Colorado to the Sierras. 



Poisonous properties. The chief effect of aconite results from its in- 

 fluence over the heart and blood vessels. It decreases the force and frequency 

 of the cardiac pulsations. After long continued use, aconite affects the nervous 

 system causing the loss of sensation; bodily temperature is also reduced after 

 medicinal uses of the drug. Dr. Winslow, in his Veterinary IMateria Medica 

 and Therapeutics, speaking of its toxicology says: 



The minimum fatal dose of aconite is about 3i. for the horse; gr. xx. for medium sized 

 dogs; and gr. v.-vi. for cats. The smallest fatal dose recorded in man is a teaspoonful of 

 tincture of aconite, equivalent to about gr. xxx. of the crude drug. The minimum lethal 

 quantity of aconitin is gr. 1/10 for man, and about the same for cats. For dogs it is from 

 gr. 'A to gr. '/2. The writer has found that cats will live from fifteen minutes to half an 

 hour after receiving the smaller deadly doses under the skin, but large doses produce death 

 immediately by paralyzing the heart. Large therapeutic doses cause, in horses, restlessness, 

 pawing the ground, shaking of the head, champing of the jaws, increased secretion of sali- 

 vary mucus, and attempts at swallowing, probably owing to the peculiar sense of irritation 



'Trans. Jour. Chem. Soc. 1905: 1650. See Blyth Poisons: Their Effects and Detection. 



