702 
Yen' Vvisoniuij. 
tauce of yew trees would be particularly foolish. But it is 
felt that more details are wanted, that the action of the poison 
contained in the yew leaves and twigs should be described, that 
the quantity sufficient to kill the various animals should be 
known, and that remedies or counteracting influences, if any, 
should be published. It would also be interesting to have an 
explanation of the fact that deer, horses, and rabbits are not 
found poisoned by yew. This may be because they are pre- 
vented by instinct from eating it, while stock, on account of the 
dependence engendered by domestication, have lost the fine 
instinctive perception of animals in a natural state of what to 
avoid. Deer in parks have frequent opportunities of eating yew. 
There are large game coverts in Wiltshire (and probably in other 
counties), notably, “ The Great Yews ” and “ The Little Yews,” 
belonging to Lord Radnor, composed of nothing but yew trees 
whose boughs sweep the ground, and undergrowths of fem, 
brambles, and a few stunted hazels. These swarm with hares 
and rabbits, none of which are ever found dead from poisoning. 
There is not much in botanical works relative to the toxic 
properties of the yew. Withering, however, gives the follow- 
ing account in one of his full and characteristic notes ; “ The 
berries of the yew are sweet and viscid. Children often eat of 
them in large quantities without inconvenience. Swine and 
fieldfares are fond of them. . . . Sheep and goats eat it ; horses 
and cows refuse it. But there are instances of both having 
been killed by eatiirg it, branches having been found in their 
stomachs, and sheep are said to have been killed by browsing 
upon the bark. I suspect that the loppings in a half-dried 
state are most detrimental to cattle. In January, 1823, in a 
deep snow, Messrs. Woodward, of Chelmsford, turned out three 
horses into a small close adjoining which was a yew tree. In 
three hours they were found dead with yew in their stomachs.”' 
In agricultural works but slight mention is made of yew as 
injuring stock. There seems to be only one reference to it in 
the Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society. Marshall scarce 
makes allusion to yew. Arthur Young does not comment upon 
it in his voluminous Annals of Ayriculture. Baxter and Morton 
merely mention facts as to cases of poisoning due to yew, with- 
out particular remark. It does not appear that veterinarians 
have specially studied the action of yew leaves upon stock, nor 
that toxicologists have done more than define taxine as a 
poisonous principle. 
Speaking generally of poisonous plants, it may be said that 
' An Arrangement of British Plants, by Williatu Withering, M.D., F.R S. 
JS30, 
