CHAPTER VI 

 dioscorideje;. 



' Black Bryony {Tamus communis L.). The stem and foliage of 

 Black Bryony are apparently harmless, being browsed by sheep and 

 goats with impimity, but the scarlet fruits are decidedly poisonous and 

 the starchy root is acrid and purgative. 



Toxic Principle. This is probably the glucoside Bryonin, which 

 occurs in Bryonia dioica (p. 35). 



Symptoms. Comevin, in citing experiments on animals, states that 

 small quantities of the fruits cause uneasiness, somnolence, and difficult 

 locomotion. Larger quantities cause vomiting, intestinal pains, and 

 paralysis of hind quarters. Death is rapid. Miiller, however, remarks 

 that paralysis of the hind quarters and convulsions may result from small 

 quantities, large quantities causing in addition inflammation of the 

 stomach and intestines. 



REFERENCES. 

 73, 190. 



LILIACEffi. 



Herb Paris {Paris quadrifolia L.). Owing to its habitat — damp 

 woods — ^it is unlikely that stock will eat this plant, but it may be possible 

 where fields border open woods in which it grows. No records of stock 

 poisoning have been met with, but cases of poisoning in man are 

 recorded, one due to eating a considerable number (30 to 40) of the 

 berries, and symptoms of poisoning in a child four years of age who had 

 eaten a few berries. In smaller quantities they are very poisonous to 

 poultry. All parts are stated to be poisonous, especially the berries. 

 Fatal poisonings are nil, or very rare if recorded. 



Toxic Principle. Walz isolated the glucoside Paridin; and Esser 

 states that the toxic property is due to a Saponin, — ^the bitter irritant 

 glucoside Paristyphnin (C^i^^O^), which is convertible into Paridin 

 (CieHjgOj + 2H2O) and sugar. 



