POISONING BY YEW LEAVES. 147 



lost cattle^ horseSj or sheep, in consequence of the branches 

 of yew trees being allowed to hang over fences, or the cutting 

 of hedges being thrown upon the ground. In conjunction 

 with the late Professor Tuson, of the Veterinary College, I 

 investigated the poisoning of pheasants by yew leaves several 

 years ago. The action of the poisonous leaves in producing 

 inflammation of the intestines was so well marked that there 

 could be no possible doubt of the cause of death; but the 

 circumstances that lead well-fed pheasants to eat yew leaves 

 on some occasions, and not to touch them on others, are 

 difficult of explanation. The poisoned birds that I have 

 examined have always been highly nourished, extremely fat, 

 and in good condition, and, so far from being hungry, their 

 crops in many instances have been filled with maize. 



Some few years ago Lieut. F. Stuart Wortley, then 

 working at the Agricultural College, Downton, wrote a letter 

 to the Times in which he described a number of experiments 

 performed with a view of ascertaining the amount of the 

 poisonous principle known as taxine in the leaves of the 

 male and female yew respectively. His experiments definitely 

 proved that taxine exists in a much larger quantity in the 

 leaves of the male than in those of the female yew. If this 

 taxine is the active principle, his experiments tend to prove 

 that only the male yew is poisonous, but I am not aware 

 whether any further experiments have been since made on the 

 subject. It would be very desirable that some observer who 

 has the opportunity should ascertain by actual experiments 

 whether there is any difference in the action of the leaves 

 of the male and those of the female yew when given to 

 pheasants or other animals. This could be readily accom- 

 plished by mixing the leaves of the two trees with 

 ground meal, and administering it to pheasants in captivity. 

 The information thus obtained would be very valuable, 

 inasmuch as if it were found that the leaves of the female 

 jew were not poisonous, it would lead to their being safely 

 planted in coverts and places accessible to animals. A great 



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