THE SPTJKGE. 373 



emitted by the root. Nor will this seem so exagge- 

 rated a fear, if we recollect that even in our own 

 climate, where all the secretions of plants are infi- 

 nitely less developed than in lower latitudes, and 

 in drier atmospheres, the lips, and even the tongue 

 and throat may be seriously swelled if the former 

 be touched by the fingers hours after gathering either 

 of our diminutive spurges. There exists an unfor- 

 tunate belief that this fearfully acrid poison may 

 be counteracted by the use of milk ; but that this 

 is an error is shewn by the case recorded by Dr. 

 Vaughan, of a strong youth who was killed in a 

 few hours, by a dose of spurge administered in 

 milk* 



The plant was, and perhaps still is used me- 

 dicinally to destroy warts, and to cure various 

 skin diseases ; as well as to remove superfluous 

 hairs; but the best advice that can be offered on 

 the subject and it cannot be too often repeated 

 is that of old Gerarde, who says : " These herbes 

 by mine advise, would not be receiued into the 

 body, considering that there be so many good and 

 wholesome potions to be made with other herbes, 

 that may be dronken ivithout perill" 



Another custom exists, which cannot be too 

 strongly reprobated, of using the seeds of the so- 

 called caper-spurge (E. lathyris} as a pickle instead 

 of capers. It has been proved that though steep- 

 ing in vinegar may lessen the deadly actioD, it does 

 not destroy it ; and serious illnesses have resulted 

 from the use of this pickle instead of capers; or 

 * See Withering's "British Plants." 



