54 



Solanaceae [ch. 



Bittersweet {Solcmum Dulcama/ra L.). Some doubt exists in regard 

 to the toxic character of this common denizen of the hedge-row, some 

 persons regarding the berries as harmless and others as poisonous. 

 Possibly the plant varies in toxicity. Floyer states that 30 berries 

 killed a dog. Though stock rarely touch the plant there seems to be 

 no doubt that it is poisonous, stem, leaves, and berries containing 

 the toxic alkaloid found in S. nigrum and the potato (q.v.), and it 

 is especially possible that poisoning may follow the ingestion of the 

 berries. Johnson and Sowerby (1861) say that the leaves are narcotic, 

 causing nausea and giddiness, and that the fruit is equally harmful, 

 though no fatal cases then seemed to be recorded. Gillam records 

 {Vet. Record, 1906) a case of poisoning of sheep. An anonymous writer 

 in the Mark Lane Express (July 24, 1911) states emphatically that this 

 plant is very poisonous, and that he has known 14 per cent, of the sheep 

 on a farm to be killed by it in a year, while his veterinary surgeon had 

 had 40 cases that season, some proving fatal. 



Toxic Principle. Like S. nigrum, the stems, leaves, and berries of 

 Bittersweet contain Solanine. The berries are stated by Esser to contain 

 0-3 to 0-7 per cent, of Solanine. The stems also contain the glucoside 

 Dulcamarim (CgaHgjOjo), which imparts a bitter taste to the plant, but 

 which has not been fuUy studied. 



Symptoms. In the case recorded by GiUam (see above) the symptoms 

 observed in sheep were small intermittent pulse, temperature 104° F., 

 quickened respiration, staggering gait, dilated pupil, and greenish 

 diarrhoea. The symptoms appear to be the same in the case of cattle 

 {Farmer amd Stockbreeder, July 10, 1911). 



REFERENCES. 

 4, 16, 40, 50, 52, 73, 81, 141, 147, 203, 213, 257. 



The Potato {Solanum tuberosum L.). Though potato haulm is 

 more or less commonly utihsed on the Continent as a green fodder, 

 and has been so used in England, yet there are good grounds for the 

 general belief that it is not a suitable food for stock. The tubers may 

 in general be eaten with impimity, but, imder certain conditions, cannot 

 be regarded as blameless, since they have caused serious injury. There 

 are certainly records of injury to man from eating Potatoes, and accidents 

 with animals have occurred more commonly. "Greened" tubers, and 

 tubers with young shoots appear to be the chief cause of accidents, and, 

 as regards hve stock, usually when fed raw. 



Comevin knew of no case of poisoning in man, and considered that 



