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a dull, yellowish-green colour, one-half to one inch broad; the perianth 

 consists of six segments, with one stamen opposite each segment. The 

 capsule is three lobed and three celled, containing numerous flat, winged 

 seeds. The plant is found in bloom sometimes as early as May, but 

 usually throughout June, July, and August. 



Distribution: False hellebore is found in low lands, swamps, wet 

 woods, and on moist slopes in Eastern Canada. It ascends to high alti- 

 tudes in British Columbia, but it is best developed in mountain valleys. 



Poisonous Properties: The whole plant is more or less poisonous, 

 especially the short, thick rootstock, and coarse, fibrous roots. It contains 

 an active poison known as veratrine, which belongs to the narcotic irritant 

 group of poisons. 



Animals Affected: False hellebore is poisonous to all animals. 

 Cattle and horses avoid eating it wherever possible, as they do not relish 

 the acrid, burning taste of the fresh plant; but young animals sometimes 

 eat it, with fatal results. A. W. Sampson says that sheep eat it with 

 impunity after a severe frost. 



Human Poisoning: As false hellebore is used in the preparation of 

 certain medicines, cases of poisoning have occurred from overdoses. 

 Accidental poisoning of man from eating the plant has also been reported. 

 In one case a whole family was poisoned by using the young leaves as 

 greens in mistake for those of the marsh marigold {Caltha palustris L.). 

 However, fatalities among human beings are rare, as the drug induces 

 spontaneous vomiting. The hairy leaves are very irritating to the skin, 

 and children often suffer by coming in contact with them. 



Symptoms: In general the symptoms of poisoning are salivation, 

 vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, cold perspiration, depression of the 

 heart, loss of sight, and finally death from paralysis of the heart. 



Remedy and Means of Control: Professional advice should be 

 obtained wherever possible. Treatment should be pursued by heart 

 stimulants, such as alcohol or ammonia, and the external application of 

 warmth. Demulcents, such as raw linseed oil, are given to relieve local 

 irritation of the digestive organs. Young animals should be given warm 

 water to assist vomiting and to wash out the stomach. Rest and quiet 

 should be enforced. The roots of false hellebore should be grubbed out 

 in the early spring when the ground is soft. Where the land is badly 

 overrun by this weed, drainage and cultivation is the best method. In 

 all cases seeding should be prevented by cutting off the tops when the 

 plant is in its first bloom. On large areas of mountainous districts, cutting 

 or grubbing would seem impracticable. Such infested land should not be 

 used as a pasture. A. W. Sampson contends that sheep may be pastured 

 on such land in the autumn, after the tops have been frozen and when the 

 ground is hard enough to prevent the poisonous rootstock from being 

 pulled up. 



