51 



POPPY FAMILY (Papaveraceaf) 



BLOODROOT (Sanguinaria canadensis L.) 

 PLATE XX. (Facing p. 52.) 



COMMON NAMES: The bloodroot is known by a variety of names, 

 among which are red-indian paint, sweet slumber, redroot, turmeric, 

 and snake-bite. 



DESCRIPTION: The bloodroot is one of our earliest and loveliest 

 spring flowers. On its first appearance above ground, the flower bud is 

 entirely surrounded by the grey-green leaf. The upper and smoother 

 side of the leaf is next the flower. The lower side of the leaf is covered 

 with a network of prominent veins. As the leaf unfolds, the flower bud 

 is brought into view. The two pale-green sepals entirely surround the 

 eight white petals in the bud, but when the flower expands, the sepals are 

 no longer needed and fell from the plant. The seed pods are long, narrow, 

 pale-green, and contain shining red-brown seeds. The perennial rootstock 

 is thick, short, dark red on the outside, and brighter red and orange within. 

 When any part of the fresh plant is bruised or broken, there exudes a 

 characteristic reddish juice. The flowers are out in April and May. 



DISTRIBUTION : Bloodroot is a native of Canada, and is found in rich 

 open woods from Nova Scotia to Manitoba. 



POISONOUS PROPERTIES: The whole plant contains an acrid, orange- 

 red latex or milky juice, which is extremely irritating to the skin, particu- 

 larly if the skin is bruised or broken. It contains an acrid, bitter substance 

 known as sanguinarin. The rootstock also contains the alkaloids chelery- 

 thrine, homochelidonine, and protopine. It is hardly likely to be eaten, 

 as it has a repulsive appearance and a very bitter taste. It is used medi- 

 cinally, and Johnson records fatal cases from overdoses. 



SYMPTOMS: Millspaugh states that "Sanguinaria, in toxic doses, 

 causes a train of symptoms showing it to be an irritant; it causes 

 nausea, vomiting, sensations of burning in the mucous membranes 

 whenever it comes in contact with them, faintness, vertigo, and insensi- 

 bility. It reduces the heart's action and muscular strength, and depresses 

 the nerve force, central and peripheral. Death has occurred from over- 

 doses, after the following sequence of symptoms : violent vomiting, followed 

 by terrible thirst and great burning in the stomach and intestines, accom- 

 panied by soreness over the region of these organs ; heaviness of the upper 

 chest, with difficult breathing; dilation of the pupils; great muscular 

 prostration; faintness and coldness of the surface, showing that death 

 follows from cardiac paralysis." 



