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POISONING BY SAVIN, BRYONY, CANTHARIDES, EUPHOR- 
BIUM OR SPURGE, YEW TREE, AND MEADOW 
SAFFRON. 
SAVIN is another drug sometimes given by grooms and others with the idea 
of improving the general condition, and death has often been caused by this 
practice. It is said that the presence of savin can be detected in the 
stomach of the dead animal, by the black-currant-leaf like smell of the 
contents when boiled in a little water and beaten up in a mortar, 
* Bryony also is often given by horse-breakers to young animals with a 
similar idea, but, although this drug excites the poor creature, and for a time 
appears to improve his condition, it is, nevertheless, decidedly poisonous, 
and when the transient effects are over, depression and loss-of condition 
follow. 
Cantharides or Spanish flies are sometimes administered by attendants, 
and owing to the large amount sometimes given, death has sometimes 
resulted. Its use by amateurs is in every way to be deprecated. 
Euphorbium or spurge, one of the components of the old farriers’ 
plister, has also caused many deaths, which have resulted from the great 
irritation set up by this drug. 
Of the remaining poisons, yew tree, water drop-wort, and meadow 
saffron, which are sometimes eaten by horses out at grass, our readers 
probably have some knowledge. 
Many instances of death from browsing on the leaves of the yew tree 
(Taxus Baccata) have been recorded. After death, which in some cases. 
takes place in from two to three hours after the ingestion of the foliage, the 
-stomach has been found contracted and inflamed. The method of treatment 
to be adopted in cases of yew-tree poisoning, is the administration of a pint 
of linseed oil, with two ounces of spirit of ammonia, and one ounce of nitric 
ether. Ina couple of hours this draught may be repeated, and-again after 
an interval of four hours, the ammonia and ether may be given alone ina 
pint of gruel. . 
The water drop-wort is a plant which grows in ditches and marshy 
localities. This plant is not often eaten by horses, but brood mares with 
vitiated appetites have been poisoned by ingesting it. 
The meadow-saffron or autumn crocus, known botanically under the 
name of Colchicum autumnale, is sometimes a cause of death to horses and 
cattle. Several cases of poisoning by eating the stalks, leaves, pods, and 
seeds of the plants, have been recorded, but the writers have. never had 
under treatment a case of, poisoning by this vegetable. The symptoms 
manifested generally, are colic, and great dulness, followed by death in about 
twenty-four hours. At the autopsy, the stomachs have been found inflamed 
and eroded. Cattle, when poisoned by this plant, present pretty much the 
same manifestations, viz. :—colic, diarrhoea, great straining, dulness, cold 
extremities, and extreme prostration. In these cases, it is best to give 
