67 



DISTRIBUTION: It is found in waste places ;ui<l pastures where it 

 lias escaped, from cultivation. It is locally established in Nova Scotia, 

 western Quebec and Ontario. 



POISONOUS PROPERTIES: All parts of me/ereon are acrid and poi~- 

 onous, especially the bark and berries. They contain an extremely acrid 

 resin inezerein, a bitter poisonous glucoside daphnin, as well as a vesicating 

 fatty oil. The bark has a persistent burning taste, and when freshly 

 applied to the skin produces inflammation and blistering. As a rule 

 animals reject the plant on account of its bitter taste. The abundant 

 bright scarlet berries are very tempting to children. A fatal case of poison- 

 ing was lately reported from Nova Scotia. The following from Anne 

 Pratt's book will show that fatalities were not rare in the Old Country. 



"Death has resulted from eating but a few of these berries; and Dr. 

 Christison relates a case of a child in Edinburgh who died from eating 

 them, while another is recorded by Linnaeus of a young lady to whom 

 twelve of the berries were given as a medicine in intermittent fever, and 

 who soon died in consequence of their corrosive poison. Four berries 

 produced thirst, sense of heat in the mouth and throat, and also fever, in 

 a man who ate them, and they are proved to be poisonous to dogs and 

 foxes." 



Even one berry chewed but not swallowed will produce intense burning 

 in the throat and mouth, which lasts for several hours. Drying does not 

 destroy the potent poison of this plant. 



SYMPTOMS: H. C. Long says: 



"The Daphnes are severely purgative, cause burning in the mouth 

 and throat, and in severe cases have narcotic effects and give rise to- 

 convulsions. Lauder gives the symptoms as intense colic, constipation, 

 followed by dysentery and copious evacuations of faeces streaked with 

 mucus, blood and intestinal epithelium. Drowsiness between the spasms. 

 According to Mueller there is inflammation of the stomach and intestines 

 (with colic, vomiting, severe diarrhoea, passing of blood), inflammation of 

 the kidneys (with strangury, bloody urination), and in many cases nervous 

 symptoms (weakness, giddiness, and convulsions). 



In a case observed by Lander, in the horse, there was abdominal pain, 

 staggering gait, anxious countenance, laboured breathing, pulse 80, tem- 

 perature 103-2 F., bowels normal. On the following day there was 

 excessive purgation, pulse 120, temperature 104-2 F., and death occurred 

 at mid-day." 



REMEDY: In the case of human poisoning an emetic may be given, 

 followed by a soothing drink such as rice water, barley water, iced-milk, 

 or white of egg beaten up in cold water while waiting for medical advice, 

 which should be promptly summoned. 



