085 
THE POISONOUS EFFECTS OF THE YEW TREE, 
j By Mr. W. C. Spooner, Southampton. 
From time to time there have been some cases recorded of 
the poisonous effects of the yew tree : such instances, however, 
have been few, and often solitary ; and, indeed, at the discussion 
at the Association, nearly a twelvemonth ago, on Mr. Morton’s 
Essay on Poisons, there seems to have been a doubt in the 
minds of some of the members, as to whether it was actually 
poisonous, whilst others only considered it to be so when taken in 
large quantities. I remember some years since examining a 
donkey that had died somewhat mysteriously, and whose death 
had shortly succeeded that of a brood mare, turned into the same 
small posture, in which grew a large yew tree, the branches of 
which were within reach of the animals, and had, no doubt, pro- 
duced their death. It is desirable, I think, that all such cases 
should be made public ; and I cannot therefore do otherwise than 
record the following facts that have lately come under my notice, 
as they are sufficient to put beyond doubt (if any can exist), the 
poisonous nature of the yew. Being in attendance on some 
horses belonging to Mr. H. King, of Fullerton, in this county, 
during the last month, that gentleman informed me that he had 
lost, in the preceding week, no less than forty ewes and lambs, 
from eating the yew tree. Seven hundred ewes and lambs were 
turned into a small pasture, on one side of which a dead fence, 
not one hundred yards in length, had recently been made from 
the cuttings of this tree. These branches, however, were in a 
dry state, having been cut a month or six weeks previously, and 
the hedge had been made a fortnight before the sheep were 
admitted. The flock entered the field in the morning ; one ewe 
died on the same evening, and by the middle of the next day the 
number before-mentioned — the greater portion of which, however, 
were lambs. They were seized with a stupor and giddiness, and 
died in about half an hour. On opening them, a quantity of 
the dead yew was found in their stomachs, and the appearance 
of the hedge, which was shewn me, sufficiently testified the fact 
of the yew having been consumed ; for the side of the hedge 
which the sheep could not approach presented the same appear- 
ance as when made, whilst on the other side the dead branches 
were quite stripped of their leaves. Many experiments were 
tried, with a view of saving the sheep : they were all bled, and 
to some, castor oil was given, and to others, croton oil ; others 
were attacked, and recovered ; and, although to some of these 
the croton was given, yet as many recovered that were simply 
vol. x. 4 T 
