CICUTA, OR WATER HEMLOCK. 23 



Hedrick, 1897, pages 7 to 9, gives notes of experiments of Prof. 

 French in feeding roots of Cicuta vagans in March. One 2-year-old 

 heifer died in an hour and a half from eating not more than 2 drams 

 of one root. Another one was fed "two bulbs the size of an egg " 

 and died in two hours and a half. The bulbs were kept growing in 

 a greenhouse, and feeding experiments conducted early in May, 

 in which several times the quantity used in March produced no ill 

 effects. This seemed to prove conclusively that the roots diminish 

 in toxicity 'as the growth progresses. 



The experimental work at Mount Carbon gave very little exact 

 information in regard to this. The feeding of roots occurred from 

 the middle of August until September 21. Of the sheep, two were 

 made sick and one died. The two cattle experimented upon died. 

 In all cases the quantity eaten was considerably more than that 

 reported by others as poisonous in the spring. The smallest quan- 

 tity was in the case of No. 119, which ate five pounds per 1,000 

 pounds of weight, September 14. Of course, at this season, the 

 middle of September, the plant is mature, and if the toxic principle 

 accumulates in the rootstock it might be expected to be as poisonous 

 as in the spring unless some chemical change takes place during the 

 Avinter. The experiments in August indicate that the roots are 

 poisonous at that time. It seems probable that they are poisonous 

 at all times of the year, but that the toxicity is very much diminished 

 during the growing season of the plant. 



REMEDIES FOR CICUTA POISONING. 



It was noticed by the older authors that when the eating of Cicuta 

 was followed by vomiting, the patient usually recovered. The logi- 

 cal remedy, then, is an emetic, and when this is given promptly with 

 the first symptoms the prognosis is favorable. What is known of 

 the poisonous principle, cicutoxin, would indicate that it is probably 

 dissolved in the stomach slowly and with some difficulty, and that 

 prompt evacuation of the stomach may remove most of the trouble. 

 The emetic is logically followed by a cathartic to facihtate elimina- 

 tion. 



When the convulsions are violent, some form of opium may be 

 given to control them, but the main reliance must be upon the emetic. 

 This has been the treatment used through the whole history of Cicuta 

 poisoning, and no change has been made in modern times beyond 

 the use of more efficient means of emptying the stomach. 



In the practical handling of poisoned live stock Httle can be accom- 

 plished in the great majority of cases. The convulsions are so vio- 

 lent that it is difficult to give any remedy per os. 



Chesnut and Wilcox, 1901, page 85, recommend hypodermic 

 injections of morphin to control the convulsions, giving sheep 1^ 

 grains and cattle and horses 3 to 10 grains. This may assist in 



