ACONITUM NAPELLUS.— COMMON MONK’S-HOOD, OR WOLE’S BANE. 
Class XIII. PQLYANDRIA.— Order III. TRXGYNIA. 
Natural Order, RANUNCULACEiE. — THE CROW-FOOT TRIBE. 
This species of Aconite, (which has frequently been mistaken for the A. neomontanum, so strongly recom- 
mended by Baron Stoerck,) is one of our most active vegetable poisons, and is still retained in the London 
and Edinburgh Pharmacopoeias. It is very generally cultivated in gardens as an ornamental plant ; but 
grows spontaneously in the alpine forests of Sweden, France, Switzerland, Austria, Carniola, and other parts 
of Europe. It is a doubtful native with us, but Smith found it abundant on the banks of a brook running 
into the river Teme, in Herefordshire, and also by the side of the larger stream ; he has, therefore ad- 
mitted it into the English Flora. 
The root is simple, or fusiform, and woody. The stem is erect, simple, clothed with leaves, rises to 
the height of two or three feet, and is terminated by an elegant cylindrical spike of flowers, which are de- 
veloped in May and June. The leaves are palmated and divided into five wedge-shaped segments ; these 
are deeply cut and toothed, and stand alternately upon long- channelled footstalks, which become gradually 
shorter as they approach the top of the stem, so that the upper leaves are nearly sessile ; the whole are 
dark green above, paler underneath, smooth and shining. The flowers which are of a deep violet colour, 
proceed alternately from the axis of the spike, and are supported upon short pedicles. Two small bracteee 
are placed on the flower-stalk, at a short distance from the flower. The petaloid sepals are five ; the 
uppermost helmet-shaped covering the petals or nectaries ; the lateral ones broad, roundish ; the lower 
oblong, and bending downwards. The petals, usually called nectaries, are two, concealed under the upper 
sepal ; each nectary is furnished with a hooked spur, with the lip lanceolate, revolute and bifid. The 
stamens are filiform, converging, purple at the upper part, and supporting whitish anthers. The germens 
are from three to five, with simple reflected stigmas. The capsules, which correspond in number with those 
of the germens, contain numerous angular-wrinkled seeds. 
There are several varieties with white, rose-coloured, and variegated corollas. Those with blue flowers 
are said to be the most powerful. The variety called pyramidale is most commonly cultivated in English 
gardens, on account of the beautiful appearance of its long spike of flowers, which are sometimes above two 
feet in length. The Aconitum cammarum is sometimes confounded with the present species, but the 
flowers are of a paler blue, the helmet larger, and the plant is much taller ; frequently attaining the height 
of six feet. 
Its deleterious effects were well known to the ancients, who regarded it as the most violent of all 
poisons, being unacquainted with those of mineral origin, and fabled it to be the invention of Hecate, who 
caused it to spring from the foam of Cerberus. Aconite is said to have been the principal ingredient in the 
poisonous cup that was mingled by Medea for Theseus ; and it was the poison employed to execute the 
barbarous law in the island of Ceos, which condemned to death all who were no longer useful to the state. 
Hence the old men who were too feeble to defend themselves, were deemed useless, and presented with a 
draught of the juice of Aconite. 
Qualities and Chemical Properties. — Although the root is the most powerful, every part of 
the plant is poisonous, for on chewing a small quantity of the leaves, a sensation of numbness will be felt in 
the lips and tongue which continues for some hours. Should a larger quantity be used, a pungent heat in 
the palate and fauces will be felt, which will be succeeded by general tremors. 
The taste is moderately bitter ; the odour faint and narcotic. The active principle is supposed to be 
an alkaloid, first discovered by Pallas, and subsequently examined by Brandes, who has named it aconitia. 
Symptoms. — The aconite is one of that class of poisons which acts through the medium of the nervous 
system, and can produce death without being absorbed. When taken in an overdose the following symp- 
toms quickly ensue : viz. intense heat, and numbness of the throat and mouth, violent nausea, giddiness, 
convulsions, violent purgings, mania, and cold sweats ; which terminate in death. 
It appears that M. Bichat was the first who ascertained that “ the brain is not directly necessary to the 
action of the heart, and that when the functions of the brain are destroyed, the heart continues to contract 
for some time afterwards, and then ceases, only in consequence of the suspension of respiration, which is 
under the influence of the brain.” 
Dr. A. Thomson says, “the powdered leaves have at first a sweetish taste, which, however, is soon 
