388 REVIEWS. 
British Poisonous Plants. By Cuar.es Jounson, Botanical Lec- 
turer at Guy’s Hospital. Illustrated with 28 coloured Plates. 
This is a very well-timed publication. Most of our readers are 
aware that a fatal case of poisoning occurred only a few months 
ago. Three gentlemen of Dingwall, in Ross-shire, were poisoned 
by eating, in mistake, the roots of Monkshood instead of Horse- 
radish. This is probably a singular instance of accidental poi- 
soning. But cases of poisoning by eating the berries of Deadly 
Nightshade, Woody Nightshade or Bittersweet, or the berries 
of the White and Black Bryony, are unhappily too common. 
Several Umbelliferous plants often cause similar fatal or dan- 
gerous accidents: some are mistaken for Parsley, others for 
Celery, and some for Watercresses. Also a great number of 
Monocotyledonous plants are poisonous. The Arum, Wake- 
Robin (“ Lords and Ladies” as these are commonly called), is 
among the most acrid and dangerous. Many years ago we 
heard that the roots of this plant, if boiled a time sufficiently 
long to dissipate the poisonous acridity, were not only imno- 
cuous, but nutritious. We tried the experiment on about a dozen 
roots, and after submitting them to the influence of boiling water 
for a great many hours—days we may say, at the end of this 
period they were found to be quite as acrid as ever. It is said 
that they can be deprived of these qualities by baking. We have 
seen boys eat the berries of the Yew with impunity. We have 
often eaten them, and never experienced nor knew of any ill 
consequences whatever as the result of this indulgence. We 
know however that cows have been poisoned by eating of the 
leaves of this tree; and we cordially assent to the recommenda- 
tion of our author, who counsels that the berries should be re- 
moved from all accessible parts of the tree, either by the appli- 
cation of the shears or birch-broom. We are much obliged to 
Mr. Sowerby for his beautiful little book on British Poisonous 
Plants, and we cordially recommend it to the public in general, 
and to our readers in particular. The figures (twenty-eight) are 
most characteristic of the subjects which they represent, and 
they are coloured very carefully. In reference to the text it 
will be sufficient to state that it is by the learned Professor of 
Guy’s Hospital, and that it is as little as possible encumbered or 
obscured by technicalities. 

