c 



328 fool's-parsley. 



serious accidents : the leaves, however, are more elegant, 

 drooping, acute, and of a lurid shining green, and when bruised 

 have a disagreeable odour, appoaching to that of garlic ; the 

 flowers are white, and on one side at the base of each umbellule 

 is a partial involucre of three long, acute, pendulous leaves, 

 which furnishes a safe criterion when the plant is in flower. It 

 is also often confounded, especially by herb gatherers, with the 

 true hemlock, from which it differs in height, duration, un- 

 spotted stem, and fruit not waved at the ridges. 



Qualities. — This plant has scarcely any smell in its recent 

 state, but when bruised it exhales a nauseous odour resembling 

 garlic, or the plant called Garlic Treacle-mustard {Erysimum 

 Alliaria). The root has no particular taste. The fresh leaves 

 somewhat resemble Parsley in flavour, but are destitute of the 

 peculiar aroma of that herb ; dried they have a nauseous, bit- 

 terish taste, their acridity having disappeared. The fruit * has 

 all the properties of the herbaceous parts in a higher degree, 

 and when chewed manifests a slight pungency in the gullet and 

 stomach. Alcohol appears to be the best menstruum for the 

 virtues of this plant. Professor Ficinus, of Dresden, has dis- 

 covered in it a new alkaloid, to which he has given the name 

 of Cynapin or Cynapia. It is crystallizable, and soluble in 

 alcohol and water, but not in ether. The crystals are in the 

 form of a rhombic prism, which is also that of the crystals of 

 the sulphate -]-. 



Poisonous Properties. — Orfila gave six ounces of the ex- 

 pressed juice to a strong dog, and tied the oesophagus. 

 Twenty minutes after, the animal appeared nauseated, but some 

 time elapsed before any urgent symptoms appeared. Suddenly 

 he stretched out his limbs and lay on his belly. In a few 

 minutes he tried to get up, but all his efforts were vain; 

 the muscles of the limbs, the posterior especially, were power- 

 less; he was raised up, but fell down again instantly. The 

 organs of sense performed their functions; the pupils were 

 scarcely dilated, and the pulsations of the heart were slow and 

 vigorous. This state lasted for about a quarter of an hour. 



* In this, as in several instances, the active principle resides in the 

 integuments of the fruit, and not in the seed. 



f Philos. Mag. and Annals, vol. ii. p. 392 ; British Association Report 

 for 1831, 2, p. 510. 



