22 Caryophyllaceae, Hypericinex [CH. 
repeated foetid diarrhoea, hurried and plaintive respiration, accelerated 
and gradually weakening pulse, a gradual loss of motor and sensory 
powers, and a progressive decline in temperature. Death occurs in 
twenty-four hours. 
In the case of pigs, the animal grunts, lies down and remains thus 
with its snout embedded in the straw. There is vomiting, more or less 
violent colic and diarrhoea, the evacuation consisting of bad-smelling, 
spumous faecal matter. At times there are clonic contractions. Young 
pigs are most susceptible. 
Pott cites cases in which abortion was a feature of the poisoning, 
both in cows and pigs. The results of numerous experiments which 
he quotes (among others some carried out for the Prussian Ministry of 
Agriculture) are very contradictory, a small quantity causing death in 
some animals, while others of the same species were left unharmed by 
large quantities. He ascribes this to the very variable proportions of 
the poison present in the seeds. 
REFERENCES. 
4, 16, 28, 46, 52, 53, 63, 76, 81, 82, 144, 161, 172, 
184, 190, 203, 205, 213, 249. 
HYPERIdMEJE. 
St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum L.). There appears to be 
no record of poisoning of live stock by this plant in Britain, but Cornevin 
records that it injured breeding mares fed on lucerne containing it in 
large proportion. Drying in converting into hay did not render it 
innocuous. It is only poisonous if eaten in considerable quantity, and 
in general animals are not likely to eat much of it voluntarily, owing to 
its resinous odour when crushed, and a bitter and slightly saline taste. 
Toxic Principle. The poisonous properties of St. John's Wort have 
not been fully investigated, but it is stated to contain an oil and an 
acrid bitter resin. Ewart says that it "contains an oil whose medicinal 
value was formerly highly esteemed ; but this oil, and the woody nature 
of the plant, render it somewhat injurious in fodder." Summers says 
(Journ. Agric. S. Australia, Sept. 1911, p. 144) that "it is reported to 
be decidedly injurious, causing horses who eat it to break out in 'sores, 
while milk cows have a tendency to dry off owing to its effect on the 
system." 
