ni] Papilionaceae 27 



naiisea, coma and occasional convulsive movements of the muscles of 

 the extremities. These symptoms persisted through several days and 

 then disappeared. 



REFERENCES. 

 4, 16, 63, 64, 81, 128, 144, 161, 190, 205, 213. 



Broom {Cytistis Scoparius Link.). This very plentiful and widely 

 distributed plant is undoubtedly to some extent poisonous, though 

 perhaps only feebly so in the quantities likely to be eaten by domestic 

 animals. Blyth records 400 cases of poisoning from it, however. 

 Very hungry animals might eat too much of it, and hence show symptoms 

 of poisoning. 



Toxic Principle. The plant contains the alkaloiiCytisine (CjiHi^NgO) ; 

 also the volatile alkaloid Sparteine {C^^'S^IS^), a single drop of which, 

 according to Blyth, killed a rabbit, which showed symptoms similar 

 to those of nicotine poisoning. 



Symptoms. Taken in suffident quantity broom induces narcotic 

 poisoning, with symptoms resembling those caused by Coniine, with 

 central nervous paralysis. 



Comevin gives the symptoms as similar to those due to C. Laburnum. 



REFERENCES. 

 4, 16, 82, 128, 203. 



Indian Peas {Lathyrus sativus L.). A type of poisoning that 

 deserves attention here is that known as Lathyrism, since it is due to 

 the consumption of peas of the genus Lathyrus, the most dangerous 

 being the "Indian Pea," L. sativus. The peas of this plant (see Frontis- 

 piece) are small and dark-coloured, and are imported largely from India 

 and other countries imder the general name of Mutter peas, a name which 

 they share with the ordinary pea Pisum sativum. In addition to the 

 seeds of this species the seeds of two South European and North 

 African species — L. Cicera and L. Clymenum — have commonly caused 

 poisoning both in man and in animals, not infrequently leading to 

 fatal results. Horses, cattle, sheep and pigs have been affected — 

 horses particularly so — and many cases have been recorded in the 

 veterinary journals since 1885. Very heavy losses have occasionally 

 resulted from the use of the raw peas as a food for stock. For 

 example, in 1884 Messrs. Leather of Liverpool had 35 out of 74 cart 

 horses ill through eating Indian peas at the rate of 3 to 4 lb. per head 

 per day. Of the 35 no less than 19 died, and 2 were slaughtered, while 



