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MANUAL OF POISONOUS PLANTS 



Distribution. Illinois and Nebraska, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Missouri, N. W. 

 Territory, Rocky Mountains to Texas, British Columbia. Known as the pasque 

 or sand flower, but very commonly and incorrectly called the crocus. 



Poisonous properties. A very poisonous plant. The allied European Anem- 

 one Pulsatilla is also regarded as poisonous. The different parts of the plant 

 are extremely acrid and when applied to the skin cause irritation and vesi- 

 cation. The acridity of the plant is due to the presence of a crystalline sub- 

 stance called anemonin C 10 H g O 4 which when heated with acids, forms anemonic 

 acid C 10 H 12 O 6 . Lloyd states: 



All parts of fresh Anemone patens are acrid and very irritating. Dr. W. H. Miller 

 informs us that his hands have been very badly blistered, in consequence of the juice hav- 

 ing spattered over them while pressing the plant. The vapors evolved from the fresh juice 

 are of such an acrid nature as to have inflamed the eyes, and have closed them temporarily. 

 For this reason, persons refuse to work with the fresh herb, and botanists have been 

 known to severely irritate their hands simply from contact with the recent plant. 



The only demand for this plant is by Homeopathic physicians. All portions 

 of the European Anemone patens are very acrid, but the dried plant is merely 

 an astringent. The plant evidently contains a volatile acrid substance, which 

 is given off when heat is applied. Our sand flower was one of the chief 

 medical plants of the Indians of Minnesota. The plant is still used, when in 

 a fresh condition by the Indian. Dr. Millspaugh gives the following method 

 for preparing it: 



The whole, fresh, flowering plant is chopped and pounded to a pulp and weighed. 

 Then two parts by weight of alcohol are taken, the pulp thoroughly mixed with one-sixth 



Fig. 227. European Anemone (Anemone 



Pulsatilla'). A poisonous plant with acrid 



properties. (From Vesque's Traite de Bot- 

 anique.) 



Fig. 228. Pasque Anemone 

 (Anemone patens, var. Wolfgang- 

 iana). A plant with well known 

 acrid properties. (Charlotte M. 

 King.) 



