220 VETEEINAEY TOXICOLOGY 



congestion of the nervous centres, the veins of the pia mater 

 distended, and there are apoplectic foci. In more pro- 

 tracted cases ecchymosed patches are found in the abdominal 

 viscera. 



Other Genera. 



jEtMisa cynapium, or fool's parsley, is not a dangerous 

 plant to animals. From confusion with edible parsley it has 

 led to poisoning of the human subject. It contains an 

 alkaloid cynapine, also present in JEthusa fatua. 



Chcerophyllum sylvesire, wild chervil or asses' parsley 

 (Anthriscus sylvestris Hoff), is one of the commonest British 

 UmbellifercB. In spite of its odour and acrid taste the ass 

 eats it, and other animals also take the plant, apparently 

 without serious results, for it is a common food for tame 

 rabbits. According to a German observer quoted by 

 Cornevin, pigs, having eaten the green plant, displayed 

 paralysis, dilatation of the pupils, refusal of food, and 

 enteritis. The post-mortem revealed acute gastro-intestinal 

 inflammation. 



Other species have been named by various authorities as 

 dangerous or objectionable ; but further evidence being 

 wanted, it will suffice to name them here as suspected. 

 They include : Daucus carota, the wild carrot, which forms 

 a bitter acrid root in distinction to the cultivated carrot; 

 Heracleum Sphondylium, cow parsnip or hog weed, which 

 appears under certain conditions to develop an irritant juice ; 

 Skim angustifolium, cow - cress or fool's water - cress ; and 

 S. cicutcefolium, the hemlock water-parsnip of the United 

 States. 



ARALIACE^. 



The only representative of this family found in Britain is 

 Hedera helix, the very common and well-known ivy. The 

 berries have been long known to be poisonous, having been 

 mentioned by Pliny, and cases of the poisoning of children 

 by them have been recorded. Over and above an emetic 



