14 Eanunculaceas [OH. 
The poisoning of two cows by H. viridis came under the notice of 
Cornevin. There was observed loss of appetite, diarrho3a, tenesmus, 
violent attempts to evacuate, which after 5 or 6 days resulted only in 
the expulsion of glareous blackish matter; to the end the pulse was 
slow and intermittent. The heart beats were weak, and after 5 or 6 
beats there was a stop equal in duration to at least a beat and a half. 
A remarkable fact was the very gradual loss of condition, while the milk 
secretion was maintained until the last day. In one case death occurred 
after 12 days and in the other after 28 days. 
REFERENCES. 
63, 81, 130, 140, 170, 190, 203, 205, 213, 233, 254. 
Larkspur (Delphinium Ajacis Reich.). In the United States of 
America certain species of Larkspur are exceedingly harmful to live 
stock, and it has been said that " with the exception of the Loco weeds 
there is probably no poisonous plant on the cattle ranges of the West 
that has caused such heavy losses to stockmen as has larkspur" (Far. 
Bui. 53, U. S. Dept. Agric.). D. Ajacis is the only British species, 
occurring in cornfields in Cambridgeshire, Sussex and elsewhere, and, 
like the Continental species D. Consolida, must be regarded as poisonous 
and fatal to cattle, while horses and sheep may also suffer. Sheep and 
goats, however, appear to resist the poison unless taken in considerable 
quantity. Wilcox fatally poisoned a yearling lamb within an hour of 
administering per os the extract from less than 1 oz. of the dried leaves 
of an American species. The seeds are the most dangerous part of the 
Larkspur, and should never be ground up with wheat should the two 
plants grow together. The seeds of D. Staphisagria are used in 
medicine. 
Toxic Principle. The species D. Ajacis has been little studied, but 
D. Consolida and D. Staphisagria contain the alkaloids Delphinine 
(C 31 H 49 7 N), very poisonous and having a bitter taste; Delphisine 
(C 31 H 49 7 N), which is extremely poisonous ; Delphinoidine (C 42 H 68 N 2 7 ), 
which is poisonous ; and Staphisagrine. 
Symptoms. The seeds are stated to be emetic and purgative, and 
D. Consolida is stated by Pott to be an acute narcotic poison to horses 
and cattle. In general the symptoms appear to resemble those produced 
by Aconitum (p. 15). There is salivation, vomiting, colic, convulsions, 
and general paralysis (Miiller). 
REFERENCES. 
16, 63, 93, 128, 130, 190, 203, 204, 205, 213, 233. 
