70 



leaves in largest quantity when the plant is in full flower." After flowering 

 the alkaloids pass to the fruits and become concentrated in the partially 

 ripened seed. 



ANIMALS AFFECTED: Many cases of poisoning of domestic animals 

 have been reported from the United States. The plant is evidently most 

 injurious to stock early in the season, when its foliage is fresh and other 

 herbage is scarce. 



HUMAN POISONING: Poison hemlock is very well known historically 

 as a plant of evil reputation. It was in all probability the plant used by 

 the Greeks in the preparation of their poisonous draughts, and by which 

 Socrates, Phocion, and others met their death. Fatalities have also 

 occurred by mistaking the plant for some edible species. An old English 

 herbalist says, "If any, through mistake, eat the herb hemlock instead 

 of parsley, or the root instead of parsnip, both of which is very likely, 

 whereby happeneth a kind of perturbation of the senses, as if they were 

 stupid and drunk, the remedy is, as Pliny saith, to drink of the best and 

 and strongest pure wine, before it strikes to the heart, or gentian put in 

 wine." 



The seeds have also been used in error for those of anise. Small boys 

 have been poisoned by making whistles out of the hollow stems of the plant. 



SYMPTOMS: Hemlock has long been recognized as a very dangerous 

 narcotic plant. H. C. Long says, "Even the smallest quantities may 

 cause inflammation of the digestive organs, paralysis, and death." The 

 general symptoms, as given by Long, are salivation, bloating, dilation of 

 pupils, rolling of eyes, laboured respiration, diminished frequency of 

 breathing, irregular heart action, loss of sensation, convulsions, uncertain 

 gait, falling, and, at the end, complete paralysis. Death occurs after a 

 few hours. The poison acts on the motor nerve endings, causing paralysis, 

 dyspnoea resulting from paralysis of the pectoral nerves, and acceleration 

 of the heart from that of the inhibitory fibres of the pneumogastric. 



Small quantities cause in the horse a little prostration, yawning, 

 acceleration of pulse, dilation of pupils, and sometimes muscular spasms 

 of the neck and shoulders. Large quantities cause nausea, unsuccessful 

 attempts to vomit, gritting of teeth, accelerated respiration and dyspnoea, 

 and muscular tremors commencing in posterior members and spreading to 

 anterior members and spine. There is next difficulty of locomotion, 

 sweating (but not continual), falling, paraplegia, then paralysis, loss of 

 feeling, lowering of temperature, rapid pulse, increasingly difficult respira- 

 tion, and death from stoppage of respiration. 



With cattle there is excessive salivation, cessation of digestion, 

 bloating, constipation, weakness, and stupor. The milk of cows who have 

 eaten the weed has a disagreeable taste. Chesnut says in cows there is 

 "loss of appetite, salivation, bloating, much bodily pain, loss of muscular 

 power, and rapid, feeble pulse." 



