33 



closely investigated and the poisons are not well known. The symp- 

 toms produced by one of the common introduced species may be taken 

 as typical. 



CAPER SPURGE. 

 Euphorbia lafhyris L. 



Other names. — Garden spurge; myrtle spurge; mole plant; mole weed; 

 mole tree; gopher plaut; an ti- gopher plant; wild caper; caper bush; 

 wolf's milk; spriugwort. (Fig. 15.) 



Description and habitat. — A smooth herbaceous perennial, 2 to 3 feet 

 high, with a stiff, erect stem, and opposite, four-ranked leaves, the lower 

 of which are thick and oblong, the upper thin, broad, and heart-shaped. 

 The flowers are greenish -yellow 

 and rather small. The three-seeded 

 fruit is conspicuous. It is a com- 

 mon garden plant, sparingly intro- 

 duced in wet ground in California 

 and Texas, and in the Atlantic 

 States from New Jersey to West 

 Virginia and North Carolina. 



Poisonous properties. — The fresh 

 milky juice is exceedingly acrid 

 and the fruit is highly purgative 

 and poisonous. When used as a 

 household remedy it often pro- 

 vokes serious trouble. Women 

 and children are not infrequently 

 I>oisoned by handling the plant 

 and getting the juice on the face. 

 Cattle are quite resistant to its 

 influence, but they are sometimes 

 overcome. Goats will eat the 

 plant extensively if nothing better 

 presents itself, and it is said that 

 their milk then possesses all of 

 the venomous properties of the 

 plant. When applied to the skin 

 the juice causes redness, itching, 

 pimples, and sometimes gangrene; 



the effect often lasting more than a week. The seed taken internally 

 in overdose will inflame the mouth and stomach, and cause intense 

 diarrhea and vomiting. If the dose is sufficient there will be nervous 

 disorders, unconsciousness, general collapse, and death. 



Antidotes. — In cases of internal poisoning empty the stomach at once 



by means of the stomach pump or emetics, and give the patient milk, 



white of ^gg with water, or flaxseed tea, to drink. Bathe in warm 



water to which ammonia or mustard has been added, and inhale dilute 



17090— No. 20 3 



Fig. 15.— Caper spurge (Euphorbia lathyris) : a, 

 upper half of plant, one-third natural size; b, 

 seed capsule, natural size. 



