36 Umbelliferae [OH. 
UMBELLIFERJE. 
Cowbane or Water Hemlock (Cicuia virosa L.). This plant is 
undoubtedly exceedingly poisonous, and fatal cases have occurred in 
both man and farm live stock. It has been mistaken by man for parsley, 
celery or parsnip, with fatal results, many persons having succumbed 
to it. The rootstock is attractive to children on account of its sweetish 
taste. Pott says that either fresh or dry it is poisonous to all animals 
when only a small quantity is eaten, and often causes rapid death. 
Sheep and goats appear to be less readily affected than other domestic 
animals, and cattle to be most sensitive. The loss of eleven animals in 
Brittany was noted in the Veterinarian in 1877, and a number of cattle 
died in Ireland (Veterinary News, 1911), death in both cases being due to 
Cowbane. It is clearly dangerous to grazing animals which have easy 
access to it, especially if ordinary herbage is scarce. Hedrick (Canada) 
is quoted as stating that a piece of the root about the size of a walnut 
is sufficient to kill a cow in about fifteen minutes ; and Miiller says that 
the quantity of dried plant sufficient to kill a horse appears to be about 
1 Ib. According to Kanngiesser the mortality in human poisoning due 
to this plant amounts to 45 per cent, of the cases. 
Toxic Principle. The poisonous character of Cowbane has not 
been fully investigated, and the toxic principles are given as the alkaloid 
Cicutine, with Oil of Cicuta, and Cicutoxine. The last is a bitter resinous 
substance classed by Cushny in the picrotoxin group; it occurs in the 
dry root to the extent of 3'5 per cent. The toxicity is stated to vary 
with season and climate ; the rootstock is most poisonous in spring. 
Symptoms. In man the yellow poisonous juice in the rhizome induces 
epileptic convulsions, followed by death. The cicutoxine gives acrid 
narcotic symptoms quickly followed by fatal results. The symptoms 
usually appear within two hours, and death ensues in half-an-hour 
to several hours. The symptoms which appear in an hour or so are 
given as loss of appetite, salivation, vomiting (in swine), nausea, colic 
(in horse), bloating (in cattle), diarrhoea, irregular pulse and heart, 
dilatation of pupils, rolling of eyeballs, vertigo, reeling in circles, twisting 
of neck, falling down, automatic movement of limbs, opening and 
shutting of mouth, and death, usually with convulsions, in from half 
an hour to an hour after first manifestation of symptoms. 
For cattle, Lander gives hurried respiration, collection of froth at the 
mouth and nostrils, and tympanites. The limbs are extended and 
alternately stiffened and relaxed. 
