POISONOUS PLANTS 145 



is ; whilst the veratrine and hellebore principles do not give 

 the red colour in the cold, and, further, also, give other 

 characteristic tests. Finally, a physiological test on a 

 mouse or rabbit should be used in additional confirmation. 



REFERENCES TO YEW. 



1 W. Graham Gillam, Vet. Becord, 1906, p. 88. 



2 J. M'Phail, Vet. JL, 1900, p. 27. 



3 G. E. Nash, Vet. Becord, 1900, p. 271. 



* E. WaUis Hoare, Vet. Becord, 1893, p. 588. 



6 H. Jarvis, Vet. Becord, 1893, p. 398. 



6 F. Earl, Veterinarian, 1875, p. 183. 



^ B. H. Russell, Veterinarian, 1875, p. 326. 



^ 0. Stephenson, Veterinarian, 1859, p. 381. 



» F. T. Stanley, Veterima/rian, 1859, p. 450. 

 " J. E. Cornelius, Veterina/rian, 1859, p. 697. 

 *"• J. Chapman, Veterinarian, 1858, p. 123. 

 '^ G. Waters, Veterinarian, 1854, p. 386. 

 ^3 E. Read, Veterinarian, 1844, p. 255. 



ARACE^. 



The only member of the Araeese, or arum family, found 

 wild in Britain, is the Arum maculatum, known under the 

 common names cuckoo-pint, lords-and-ladies, wild arum, 

 water robin, Portland sago, etc. Cornevin further names 

 A. italicum, A. dracunculus, and the marsh plant Calla 

 palustris, as being similar to A. maculatum in effects. 



The Cuckoo-Pint (Fig. 2) is a familiar hedgerow plant 

 having a tuberous root-stock, flowering in May, and having 

 clustered scarlet berries in August. The leaves are glossy, 

 halberd-shaped, and spotted. Cases of the poisoning of 

 animals by it are rare, although several cases, chiefly of 

 children, are on record in human toxicology. Numerous 

 other species of the arums have similar toxic properties, 

 but they do not appear to have caused poisoning of animals 

 to a notable extent. 



Active Principle and Effects. — Like the allied species, 

 this plant contains an acrid juice of unknown chemical 

 nature, and has the effect of a powerful irritant. The juice 



10 



