ARUM. 27 



ingiy evinced in the putrescent odours of some species, and the 

 azote that chemical analysis has detected in them. 



Poisonous Properties. — The common Arum in its recent 

 state is undoubtedly poisonous. Children in particular are apt to 

 mistake the leaves for those of sorre) : they occasion a very con- 

 siderable degree of excoriation, and sometimes haemorrhage 

 from the tongue and fauces. 



Bulliard relates the following case : " Three children ate of 

 the leaves of this plant. They were seized with horrible con- 

 vulsions, and with two of them assistance was unavailing, as 

 they were unable to swallow anything. They died in a few 

 days. The third was saved with difficulty. Its tongue was so 

 swelled that it filled the whole cavity of the mouth, but this 

 symptom was relieved by bleeding, and copious draughts of 

 milk and olive oil were found serviceable."* 



The treatment in poisoning by Arum is the same as that em- 

 ployed for other vegetable irritants. The noxious substance 

 should be removed by emetics, unless spontaneous vomiting 

 occurs. Sulphate of zinc f, in doses of from ten to fifteen grains 

 every half hour, is a good emetic. Leeches may be applied to 

 the throat, and mucilaginous drinks should be freely adminis- 

 tered, until medical aid can be obtained. 



Medical Properties and Uses. — The root of this plant 

 is the part 'employed in medicine, and is a remedy of great 

 value in some of the most obstinate diseases. It is not fre- 

 quently used in modern practice ; not because its properties 

 are doubted, but on account of its excessive acrimony when 

 fresh, and the uncertainty of its action when dried. It is 

 not to be supposed, however, that the dried root, carefully 

 preserved, is totally divested of those active and valuable pro- 

 perties which accompany it when first prepared ; on the con- 

 trary, it is still a very valuable medicine in a larger dose. It 

 has been given with very great success in the humoral or moist 

 asthma, in severe chronic rheumatisms, in chlorosis or green 

 sickness, jaundice, obstructions of the viscera, and in dropsy. 

 It exerts considerable power over that thick, viscid, tenacious 

 matter which frequently abounds in the stomach and bowels, 



• Hlstoire des Plantes Veneiieuses, p. 84. 

 •f Commonly called " White Vitriol." 



