374 NATURAL HISTORY. 



mixed with melted butter or salad oil, has a good effect, 

 and new milk is especially useful. Decoctions of muci- 

 laginous plants, slippery elm bark, ground ivy, barley 

 water, mingled with something astringent as oak bark, 

 tormentilla root, come next ; afterwards applications of 

 ice to the head, leeches to the pit of the stomach, and 

 sometimes general bleeding is sufficient for the removal 

 of the poison, but it is always safer in cases of poison- 

 ing from vegetables, to have recourse to medical treat- 

 ment than to trust to simples, however judiciously ad- 

 ministered. 



Aaron's Root (Arum maculatum), known by the 

 common name of Indian Turnip, has an oblong, turnip- 

 shaped root ; leaves in pairs, arrow-shaped, and on long 

 petioles or foot-stalks ; stem shorter than the leaf-stalks ; 

 flowers separate, seated here and there on the dark 

 brown stem, like those of the well known calla, and have 

 the appearance of small fruit, wherefore children are 

 fond of gathering them to play with. Grows in damp, 

 shady places in woods and thickets ; occasionally found 

 in meadows. Blooms in April or May. The root called 

 Cormus, is very acrid, and, if not exactly poisonous, is 

 very severe in its operation and productive of serious 

 injury; however, that quality is dissipated in a gi*eat 

 measure by boiling or drying. When eaten in a fresh 

 state, the best remedy against its painful effect is, as it 

 is also in all cases of acrid poisons, milk in which raw 

 eggs have been mixed. 2. 



The Mandrake May Apple (Atropa mandragora). 

 Root long, thick, forked, cylindrical, and yellowish- 

 brown ; stem one or two-leaved at summit ; leaves large, 

 round, seven or nine-lobed, lanceolate, peltate, and 

 slightly haired below ; flower situated in the fork of the 



