WATER-DROPWORT. 



397 



produces. It has occasioned several fatal accidents, in con- 

 sequence of the similarity of the leaves * to those of parsley or 

 smallage, and more particularly from the resemblance that exists 

 between its roots and those of the skirret (Sium Sisarum) ; 

 besides which, its odour is not so unpleasant as to deter the 

 unwary from eating it. The following are instances of its 

 baneful effects. 



" A citizen of the Hague, ate, with one of his friends, some of its roots. 

 In a short time they both felt a great heat in the throat and stomach, which 

 was followed by alienation of mind, vertigo, cardialgia, desire for sleep, 

 and diarrhoea. One of them had violent convulsions, the other bleeding 

 at the nose ; the one who had eaten most, died in two hours, the other in 

 three, "f 



" Three French prisoners, being in the fields near Pembroke, ate a quan- 

 tity of the plant, which they took for Wild Celery, with bread and butter. 

 One of them was soon after seized with violent convulsions, and died 

 in a short time. The other two, ignorant of the danger, gave some of 

 the roots to eight of their companions, and in a few minutes were attacked 

 themselves, in the same manner as the first ; one of them died ; the other 

 was cured by bleeding and emetics, but for some time he experienced a 

 dizziness in the head, though his stomach was not disordered. The others, 

 by similar treatment, quickly recovered. **•% 



" At Clonmel, in Ireland, eight boys, mistaking the roots of this plant 

 for those of skirret, ate plentifully of them ; about four or five hours after, 

 the eldest boy became suddenly convulsed, and died ; and before the next 

 morning, four of the other boys died in a similar manner. Of the three 

 who survived, one was maniacal several hours, another lost his hair and 

 nails, but the third escaped unhurt. " § 



Allen, in his Synopsis Medicines, mentions that four children were poisoned 

 by the root. In these cases great agony was experienced before the convul- 

 sions came on ; then followed vomiting, which was aided by large draughts of 

 oil and warm water, and they recovered. Dr. Houlston, of Liverpool, relates 

 that a boy about nine years of age ate a large quantity of the roots, which 

 he believed were ground-nuts, and gave some to his companions. As he 

 was returning home he became giddy and unable to walk, and was 

 soon affected with stupor and convulsions. " His mother, apprized of his 



* Sheep and goats are said to eat the leaves with impunity; cows and 

 horses refuse it. According to Sir T. Frankland, brood mares are some- 

 times poisoned by eating the root. It is occasionally used as a poison for 

 rats and moles. 



f Stalpart Vanderweil Observ. pariorum, &c. t. i. p. 182. 



+ Philosophical Transactions, 1746, vol. 44. p. 227- 



§ Ibid. /. c. 



