GUM RESIK — HELLEBORE. 105 



lebore, is extremely acrimonious, for if 

 wounded, while fresh, it emits a juice capa- 

 ble of blisterino- the skin. 



Powdered white hellebore is often em- 

 ployed as an ingredient in blisters. It is 

 used, also, in ointments for the mange, and 

 other cutaneous diseases. A decoction of 

 white hellebore is often emnloved for the 

 same purpose ; but other medicines are ge- 

 nerally addod to it, as sulphur vivum, tur- 

 pentine, white vitriol, or alusn. Hellebore 

 has been tried as an internal remedv in the 

 horse; but its effect was so violent, even in 

 the small dose of !ialf a dram, that it is now 

 considered a very dangerous medicine.* 



* I liave hitely had an opportunity of trying 

 the effect of white hellebore. And did not find 

 it so violent or so dangerous as it was said to be 

 after an experunent made at the Veterinary Col- 

 lege. To a glandered horse Vv'e gave half an 

 ounce of the powder of white hellebore expecting 

 it would destroy him, but it produced no effect ; 

 an ounce was then given which-caused an appear- 

 ance of sickness, and a copious discharge of saliva 

 from the mouth It was given afterwards to se- 

 veral horses, and we uniformly found that in the 

 dose of half an ounce given daily, it produced the 

 effect we have just described. In some the first 



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