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DISEASES OF THE DIGESTIVE APPARATUS. 



5. Poisoning by Flax [Linum usitatissimum). 



Symptoms. Violent colics, meteorism, diarrhea, staggering^ 

 trembling, cardiac palpitations, and death in convulsions. 



Autopsy. Lesions of gastro-enteritis ; evidences of asphyxia. 



Treatment. Tannin, purgatives; the treatment must be symp- 

 tomatic. 



Flax, which is ordinarily innocuous, sometimes causes poisoning 

 in the pig, sheep, cow, and in poultry ; this toxicity is due to an 

 acrid narcotic poison (liniue) contained in the seed capsules — 

 which may also be formed in all sickly etiolated plants. After 

 having thrown flax into small rivulets, Gerlach has seen fish over- 

 come by coma and death. 



6. Poisoning by Box Leaves {Buxus sempervirens). 



Symptoms. Vomitings, colic, diarrhea, coma, and vertigo 

 alternately. Death occurs rapidly in convulsions. 



Autopsy. Gastro-enteritis and asphyxia. 



Treatment. Symptomatic. Tannin is advisable. 



The box tree, which belongs to the family Euphorbiaceœ, con- 

 tains an alkaloid identical with berberine and very closely related 

 to taxine, called buxine. It is a narcotic and a paralyzant of the 

 nervous centres. The leaves give rise, in the horse and pig, to an 

 intoxication which is rapidly fatal. 



7. Poisoning by Black, Green, and Fetid Hellebore [Helleborus 

 niger, H. viridis, H. fœtidus). 



Symptoms. They are vomitings, colic, bloody diarrhea, coma^ 

 stupefaction, weakness ; death during convulsions. 



Autopsy. Lesions of gastro-enteritis and asphyxia. 



Treatment. Symptomatic. The stimulant to be given is 

 camphor. 



The animals may be poisoned by ingesting hellebore growing in 

 the wild or cultivated state, or as ornamental plants. The poisoning 

 is also produced by the hellebore troche or by setons strengthened 

 with the powder of this plant. Hellebore contains two glucosides : 

 helleborein and helleborin. 



8. Poisoning by Veratrum. 

 Symptoms. They are nearly the same as in intoxication through 

 hellebore, except for the reduced intensity of the gastro-enteritis. 



