NOTE ON ACONITUM NAPELLUS. 425 
parts of the Spruce Fir Forest. Our first impression was, natu- 
rally enough, that it was A. Napellus, which neither of us had 
seen in a wild state. Careful examination however soon unde- 
ceived us as to its being that species, but we were (like Linnzeus?) 
not a little astonished to find, on pursuing our journey into the 
interior, that the plant was carefully reaped and dried by the 
peasantry, and used as fodder for cattle ! 
The discovery induced us to make further inquiry, and we 
found that the stem, leaves, and flowers of the plant were “harm- 
less,” though some suspicion remained regarding the root. We 
learned moreover that occasionally, though very rarely, cattle 
came in contact with the true Aconitum Napellus (which may 
possibly be a rare native, or much more probably have been in- 
troduced into gardens there, as in this land, on account of its 
beauty). The result was, without any exception, “death!” 
Now Linneus mentions 4. Lycoctonum being a native of the 
Alps of Lapland and also of Italy—‘ Habitat in Alpibus Lap- 
poniz, Helvetie, Austriz, Italie ;”’ thence it is not unreasonable 
to suppose that “this Aconite,” referred to by Linnzus, was one 
of the plants which he included under the name of A. Lycocto- 
num, but which is distinguished by modern botanists as Aconitum 
septentrionale, a species distinct from the former, though closely 
allied to it. 
The former plant may also have given rise to the tradition on 
which the remark in the ‘ Phytologist’ at page 365 is based, 
“Tt is scarcely credible that it is innocuous in Italy,” etc. It 1s 
quite credible that az Aconite was used; but I cannot for a mo- 
ment believe that a plant so extremely poisonous in every portion 
of its structure as A. Napellus will ever favour any country or 
soil by casting aside its poisonous principle. 
On consulting the article in the ‘ Lancet’ by Dr. Headland, 
already referred to, I find it stated that A. Lycoctonum is stated 
to be poisonous in Switzerland. This however, if it refer to the 
leaves and stem, may require further investigation; though from 
the fact that the poisonous alkaloid “aconitina” exists even in 
those species which contain the largest portion of it, such as 4. 
Napellus and A. ferox, in varying degree in different stages of 
their growth, it is by no means improbable that in a species like 
A. Lycoctonum, in which the poisonous principle exists to a very 
small extent, and usually only in the root, there may be condi- 
Nas VOL. I: 31 
