SECTION IV 



Poisonous Plants which are Rarely Observed 

 to Cause Death in Animals 



Although this section consists of plants that have 

 rarely been observed to cause the death of animals, and 

 so may be thought of secondary importance to the veter- 

 inarian, farmer and stockman, yet animals may under 

 exceptional circumstances be poisoned by them- Indeed, 

 the aggregate loss from their agency is very consider- 

 able, and diagnosis should not be considered complete 

 until this section has been consulted. Included 

 among them are some of the most virulently poisonous of 

 plants, e.g., the "Death Cup" mushroom, whose baneful 

 effects on human beings are widely known. Others con- 

 tain epidermal poisons so strong that death has been re- 

 ported to have resulted from mere contact with the 

 bruised plants. Still others are the source of medicinal 

 drugs. On this account and because, as pointed out in 

 the introduction, Section IV contains by far the larger 

 proportion of the plants that are poisonous to human 

 beings, this section should prove of especial interest to 

 medical men. 



FUNGI. 



AMANITA spp. 



The genus Amanita contains the most commonly 

 known, as well as some of the most deadly of our poison- 

 ous mushrooms or "toadstools" as they are colloquially 

 called. The top of the cap may have various colours, but 



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