n] Caryophyllaceae 21 
It is clear that the evidence is quite sufficient to warrant the state- 
ment that the ingestion of more than a very small quantity of cockle 
seed is dangerous, and the consumption of even small quantities should 
be avoided. Thus care should be taken to remove the seeds from cereal 
grains. 
Toxic Principle. The dangerous substance contained in cockle 
seeds is the gtucoside variously known as Giihogin, Saponin, Agrostemmin, 
Sapotoxin, Agrostemma-Sapotoxin, or Smilacin (C 17 H 26 10 ) 2 . This prin- 
ciple appears to occur chiefly in the seeds, which contain up to 6-56 per 
cent., but it has been found in small quantities in other parts of the 
plant. It is very freely soluble in water, in which it froths like soap 
when shaken up, and it has a sharp taste and no odour. 
Symptoms. A sufficient quantity of the toxic substance may cause 
nervous debility and dysentery according to Chesnut "intense irrita- 
tion of the digestive tract, vomiting, headache, nausea, vertigo, diarrhoea, 
hot skin, sharp pains in the spine, difficult locomotion, and depressed 
breathing. Coma is sometimes present and may be followed by death. 
In animals chronic diarrhoea and gradual depression." 
The chronic form, which occurs when small doses are repeated over 
a long period (practically the only form found in human beings, but 
never in animals, except perhaps in the pig) is characterized by gradual 
wasting away, loss of breath, loss of strength, chronic diarrhoea, and 
nerve troubles, death taking place in marasmus and decline. The 
active principle acts as an irritant on the digestive tract, causing colic, 
diarrhoea and enterorrhagia. 
Cornevin describes the symptoms in the acute form of the poisoning 
in the case of horses, cattle, pigs and dogs. 
In the horse, if a small quantity only is taken, there is yawning, 
heavy colic, stamping and evacuation of rather soft faeces. If larger 
quantities are taken, the symptoms, which commence in about an 
hour, are salivation, frequent yawning and turning of the head, colic, 
pale mucus, hurried and weak pulse, rise in temperature and accelerated 
respiration. Some time later there are muscular tremors succeeded by 
pronounced rigidity, and the faeces are diarrhceic and foetid. The 
animal lies down, and getting up is painful ; it falls into a kind of coma, 
stretches itself to the utmost, and death takes place without convulsions. 
In cattle, the symptoms observed one hour after eating are restlessness, 
salivation, and grinding of the teeth. Excitement and colic are followed 
sometimes by coughing, this state lasting from five to eight hours. There 
is then a period of coma, characterized by permanent decubitus, 
