438 yew. 



Qualities — The wood of this tree is resinous, and has a slight terebin- 

 thine odour. The leaves are bitter, nauseous, and slightly acrid to the taste. 

 The succulent covering of the fruit is soft and slimy to the touch, mawkishly 

 sweet and mucilaginous, and appears to consist chiefly of mucus and sugar. 

 The nut of the drupe is bitter, nauseous, somewhat austere, and slightly 

 acrid ; the kernel containing an oily substance on which probably its 

 noxious qualities depend. We are not acquainted with any analysis either 

 of the leaves or fruit. 



Poisonous Properties. — From time immemorial this tree has been 

 regarded as exceedingly poisonous. The ancient Greek writers asserted 

 that the Arcadian Yew was destructive to those who ate of it or slept 

 under its shade. Dioscorides, Galen, and Pliny attribute to this tree the 

 same noxious effects, but Theophrastus affirms that the fruit is not poison- 

 ous. Matthiolus states that the yew-trees which grew in the vicinity of 

 Narbonne had a pernicious influence upon persons who slept under their 

 shade. Caesar in his Commentaries relates that Cativulus, king of the 

 Eburones, poisoned himself with the juice of yew. Ray * mentions that a 

 gardener employed in clipping a yew-tree which grew in a garden at Pisa, 

 was unable to proceed with his work for more than half an hour at a time 

 without being seized with violent pain in the head. The Jesuit Schott f 

 affirms, moreover, that the branches of this tree plunged in a fish-pond will 

 stupify and benumb the fish so that they may be taken with the hand. 



There can be no doubt of the poisonous qualities of the leaves upon man 

 and various animals. Matthiolus X relates from Theophrastus, that rumi- 

 nating animals eat the foliage with impunity, while others are killed by it. 

 Deer, sheep, and goats are said to eat it with impunity, but it is certain 

 that horses, asses and oxen are speedily destroyed by it : and it differs from 

 many other plants in that, the loppings or half-dead branches are equally 

 pernicious with the recent leaves, and have been in most cases the source of 

 accident. Several cases are on record of its virulent effects upon horses. 

 Mr. Tatem § mentions that two horses were put under a yew-tree, which 

 they cropped with eagerness : no unfavourable circumstances appeared for 

 three hours, when having staggered a few paces they both dropped, and 

 before the harness could be taken off they were dead. We have been 

 informed of an instance in which the lopped and withered branches acci- 

 dentally placed in the way of a team of four horses, proved fatal a few 

 hours after the repast, and before any assistance could be procured. 

 Baudin and Henon, of the veterinary school of Lyons, gave six ounces 

 of yew -leaves to a horse ; he fell dead in an hour, without convulsions. 

 The same dose given to a mule with hay, produced no symptom for four 



* Hist. Plant, ii. 1416. 

 + Flore Med. torn. iv. p. 122. 

 + Comment. I. c. 



§ Loudon's Mag. of Nat. History, vol. viii. p. 91. See also Edin- 

 burgh Annual Register, vol. vii. p. 162. 



