076 UMBELLIFER#. 
are generally regarded as poisonous are quite harmless when obtained from 
certain localities near Edinburgh. This is a very important point, and one 
which requires further investigation. Should it prove to be true in all cases, 
it would probably account in a great degree for the varying strength of the 
official preparations of Hemlock, which is commonly believed to arise from 
their careless preparation ; and also for the different opinions entertained 
as to the poisonous or non-poisonous properties of some other species of 
Umbeliliferous plants. 4 
Ethusa Cynapium, Fool’s Parsley, is a very common indigenous plant, 
and is usually regarded as possessing poisonous properties; but this is 
altogether contrary to the experience of Dr. John Harley. Ficinius and 
Walz have, however, both isolated alkaloids: the first a crystallisable, very 
poisonous substance; the latter a liquid alkaloid, resembling, it is said, 
conine and nicotine. The leaves have been mistaken and eaten for those of 
Parsley. : 
CEnanthe-—CEnanthe crocata, Hemlock Dropwort or Dead-tongue, 
CEnanthe Phellandrium, Fine-leaved Water Dropwort, Gnanthe fistulosa, 
and some other species, are very poisonous. The roots of Ginanthe pimpi- 
nelloides, as already noticed. are said, however, to be wholesome. (See 
Esculent Umbellifere.) All the above species are indigenous. 
Cicuta.—C. virosa, Water Hemlock or Cowbane, is another indigenous 
plant of a highly poisonous nature. Its poisonous principle has been termed 
cicutoxin.—C. maculata, a native of America, has also very poisonous roots, 
which from having been mistaken for those of other harmless Umbellifere, 
have not unfrequently led to fatal results. The latter plant has been used 
as a remedy in nervous and sick headaches. 
Conium maculatum, Hemlock.—This plant is indigenous ; the fresh leaves 
and young branches and the fully developed green fruit are official in the 
British Pharmacopeia. In proper doses hemlock is extensively employed 
in medicine to relieve pain, relax spasm, and compose nervous irritation 
in general. It owes its properties chiefly to the presence of a colourless oily 
liquid alkaloid with a penetrating mouse-like odour, to which the name of 
Gonine or coniine has been given. In improper doses Hemlock is a powerful 
poison, and fatal accidents have arisen from its having been mistaken for 
other harmless Umbelliferous plants. Conine is said to be useful in acute 
mania; and Hydrobromate of Conine has been used successfully in spasmodic 
affections. 
4. UMBELLIFER YIELDING F@®TID GuM-RESINs. 
The most important of these gum-resins are, Asafetida, Ammoniacum, 
and Galbanum; all of which are official in the British Pharmacopeeia. 
Opoponaz and Sagapenum are others, but they are now scarcely ever used 
in this country. They all possess antispasmodic and more or less stimu- 
lant properties ; this is especially the case with Asafoetida, which is also 
extensively used as a condiment in Persia, India, and other parts of the 
East, in the same way as garlic and other allied plants are employed in 
Europe. Ammoniacum and Galbanum also possess expectorant properties, 
more particularly the former, and both are used externally in the form of 
plasters to promote the absorption of tumours and chronic swellings of 
the joints. The plants yielding these gum-resins are not in all cases 
known, but they are exclusively natives of Persia, Afghanistan, Thibet, 
and the adjacent regions, except the one yielding Opoponax, which is 
found in the South of Europe, and in Syria. These gum-resins are 
chiefly imported into this country from India, although sometimes from 
the Levant. They are commonly seen in two forms—that is, in roundish 
or irregular tears; or in masses formed by more or less amalgamated 
tears. 
Ammoniacum is yielded by Dorema Ammoniacum, Don, and probably 
