n] Ranunculaceae 15 
Monkshood (Aconitum Napellus L.). The extremely poisonous 
character of this plant has been recognised since ancient times, and it 
is mentioned by Pliny, Dioscorides, etc. It is not common in the wild 
state in Britain chiefly occurring in some Welsh and one or two West 
of England counties and is not very liable to cause poisoning of live 
stock in Britain. Cases of poisoning of horses, cattle, sheep and pigs 
have been recorded on the Continent, however (Cornevin), and cows died 
in Victoria. Linnaeus says that it is fatal to cows and goats when they 
eat it fresh, but that when dried it does no harm to horses. Medical 
works record many cases of human poisoning, particularly in cases 
where the root has been mistaken for horse radish from which, however, 
it markedly differs. The leaves at first taste insipid and then sharply 
burning; the root when fresh smells like the radish and has a slightly 
sweetish taste, which is succeeded by characteristic tingling of the 
tongue and a sensation of numbness in the mouth. 
Toxic Principle. Monkshood is very poisonous, and though all 
parts are toxic the root is the most dangerous, and next the seeds and 
leaves. The plant seems to vary in toxicity with age and climate, 
being but slightly active when very young, most active just before 
flowering, and at the minimum of activity when the seeds ripen. The 
cultivated form is stated to be much less poisonous than the wild one. 
Drying removes a part of the toxic substance, and boiling removes most 
of it. The plant contains the toxic alkaloid Aconitine (C 34 H 45 NO U ), 
and also Aconine (C25H 39 N0 9 ). The root contains 0-17 to 0-28 per cent, 
of Aconitine, but the leaves and flowers less. 
Symptoms. The chief symptoms are those of depression, and are 
manifested through the nervous system and the circulatory and 
respiratory organs. Tetanic symptoms are also present. There is loss of 
appetite, salivation, inflammation of the mucous membrane of the mouth 
and jaws, grinding of teeth, nausea and vomiting, great restlessness and 
colic; the animal groans and walks with an uncertain gait owing to 
bodily weakness, giddiness and paralysis of hind feet or of all limbs; 
there is also a notable slackening in the pulse, breathing becomes diffi- 
cult, consciousness is lost and the pupils are dilated. Death ensues in 
most cases within a few hours, and after convulsions. 
Kaufmann (quoted by Cornevin) observed in the horse champing 
of the jaws, salivation, fibrillous contraction of the muscles of the ole- 
cranon, then of the buttocks, then of the whole body. The intestinal 
pains were shown by the blows of the animal's hind feet under and at 
the back of the belly. There was also observed an intense and painful 
