160 CULTIVATED VEGETABLES. 



lities maybe forced by high fermentation, into 

 the seed of grasses from the root, and that 

 they are not always the effect of a blighting 

 air. This should induce us to pay particular 

 regard to the soil in which most esculent 

 vegetables are grown ; and there are many 

 vegetable poisons, whose mode of opera- 

 tion we do not perfectly understand. 



The Secale cornntum, has an acrid nause- 

 ous taste, in common with many other deadly 

 poisons; and it seems to infect the humours 

 with a poisonous taint, which either irritates 

 the nerves so as to excite spasms, or corrupt 

 the blood, and thereby produce gangrene. 



We are told, that these poisons are so 

 baneful, that if a person walk barefooted in 

 fields covered with the Nigella, his feet and 

 legs will be ulcerated. 



Mons. Duhamel has given a description of 

 this disease, which prevailed in Sologne, and 

 which destroyed most of those who were 

 seized with it. The disorder was first felt by 

 a weariness and pain in the feet and legs, of 

 which, after they had become livid, there was 

 a mortification, rather dry than moist ; worms 

 were often engendered in the mortified parts, 

 the toes separated from their articulations, 

 and fell off with the metatarsus ; afterwards 



