CHAPTER IX 



CLASSIFICATION OF POISONS. 



The classification of poisonous plants according to their efEects is 

 a somewhat difficult process, since more than one prominent symptom 

 may be produced by the same plant. Two classifications, however, 

 may be given as examples, the first that of Blyth, and the second that 

 of A. B. Smith. These must be regarded as essentially appUcable to 

 human beings, though serving more or less as a guide in case of poisoning 

 of farm five-stock. 



Blyth's Classification (after Fammel). 



A. — ^Poisons cansing death immediately or in a few minutes : Prossic acid, 



cyanides, oxalic acid, and occasionally strychnine. 

 B. — ^Irritant Poisons, with symptoms chiefly pain, vomiting, and purging: Eigot, 



digitalis, colchicum, yew, laburnum. 

 C. — ^Irritant and Narcotic Poisons, with symptoms of an irritant nature, with 



more or less cerebral indications : OxaUo acid or oxalates. 



D. — ^Poisons more especially afiecting the Nervous System : 



1. Naecotics. — Symptoms: insensibihty, which may be preceded by more 

 or less cerebral excitement. Opium. 



2. DELiBiAifTS. — ^DeUrium, for the most part, a prominent symptom: Bella- 

 donna, hyoscyamus, stramonium, and other Solanaceae, Lolium temu- 

 lentum, Oenanthe crocata, poisonous fungi. 



3. CoNVDLSlVES. — ^Almost every poison has been known to produce convulsive 

 effects, but the only true convulsive poisons are the alkaloids of the 

 strychnine class. 



4. Complex Nervotjs Phenomena. — Aconite, digitalis. 



A. Beinhard Smith's Classification. 



A.— Poisons acting on the Brain. 



1. Sabcotios.— Symptoms: Giddiness; dimness of sight; contracted pupils; 

 headache; noises in the ears; confusion of ideas, and drowsiness, passing 

 into insensibility. 



Britiah Plants indvded : Papaver somnif erum. 



