188 . VETEEINARY TOXICOLOGY 



beating about with head, eyes retracted in orbits. Death 

 occurred within two hours. 



Some of the animals recovered under oleaginous purga- 

 tives, but one which had not responded, showed drowsiness, 

 was given castor oil, and displayed symptoihs of gastro- 

 enteritis and kidney irritation. Offensive purgation set in, 

 with death from exhaustion after a few days. 



Chemical Diagnosis. — The reactions of the alkaloids of 

 celandine are not very characteristic. Chelidonine is 

 coloured greenish-yellow, brown, cherry-red, and finally 

 violet by concentrated sulphuric acid. Sanguinarine, which 

 is only present in traces, is characterised by giving blood- 

 red-coloured salts. 



Glaucium. 



Glaucium luteum, the well-known horned or sea poppy, 

 with large yellow flowers, and pods from 10 to 12 inches 

 long, is alleged to cause poisoning similar to that of celan- 

 dine ; but cases are not to hand, and the point needs re- 

 vision. It is a very abundant maritime plant in the South, 

 but is rarer in Scotland. Animals do not eat it, but there 

 is a chance of its accidental inclusion in forage. 



CRUCIFERiE. 



The genera of this order found wild or cultivated in 

 the temperate parts of the Old World, and credited with 

 poisonous or objectionable properties, are Brassica, 

 Cochlearia, Raphanus, and Sisymbrium. 



Active Principles. — If to them we add onion, belonging 

 to the Liliacece, all the plants implicated owe their activity 

 to volatile or essential oils of the type of mustard oil (allyl 

 sulphocyanide). In the black mustard seed is a glucoside, 

 myronic acid, which is resolved by ferments or acids into 

 glucose, potassium acid sulphate, and mustard oil, or allyl 

 sulphocyanide. White mustard contains sinalbin and 

 yields oxybenzyl sulphocyanide. 



Botanical Characters.— The plants likely to cause harm 



