POISONS ACTING ON THE HEAET 



I 

 DEPRESSANTS 



Symptoms. — Vertigo; vomiting; abdominal pain; confused 

 vision; convulsions; occasional delirium; paralysis; syncope; 

 sometimes asphyxia. 



NICOTIANA TABACUM {Cultivated in Britain). 26. 



VIRGINIAN TOBACCO PLANT. 



Solanacece. — A coarse, hardy, glaucous plant, 6 ft. — Root 

 tapering, long. — Leaves alternate ; lower ones sometimes 2 ft. 

 long; shortly stalked; ovate; entire. — Flowers in terminal 

 panicles; dull pink. — Capsule formed by persistent calyx. 

 Seeds numerous; pale brown. — annual. — August-November. 

 {Fatalities.) 



Toxic Principle. — NICOTINE, also contained in N. repanda, 

 N. rustica. 



And while the smoke of blond tobacco curves 

 And blends its perfume with the flowers that wither. 

 You hear a gipsy music wafting hither 

 Its sweet narcotic to caress the nerves. 



Pierre Lievre: " A Gathering of Gallants.^' 



CONIUM MACULATUM {British), 27. 



HEMLOCK. 



Umbelliferce. — Stem polished, spotted with purple. — Leaves 

 dark, glossy green; tripinnate. — Fruit with waved ridges. — 

 Hedge-banks. — 4 ft. — biennial. — June and July ; white. 

 {Fatalities.) 



Toxic Principles.— COmmE, CONICEINE. 



My heart aches, and a drowsy numbness pains 

 My sense, as though of hemlock I had drunk. 



Keats: " Ode to a Nightingale.*^ 

 16 



