35 2 THE SWEDISH PAN; 
and has dryed the ground* they are very caf£« 
full not to touch it. It is alfo true, that all 
vegetables prohibited by nature to particular 
animals are not equally pernicious ; and therefore 
though through neceflity and hunger they eat 
them* 
6. That no man dared to flea the recent carcafes, as they 
found by experience, that not only the hands of fuch as 
attempted it, but their faces too had been inflamed, and 
mortified, and that death had enfued. 
7. The people enquired of me, whethet there were any 
kinds of poifonous fpiders in that meadow, or whether the 
water which had a yellowilh tint was not noxious. 
8. That it was not a murrain was clear* becaufe the dis- 
temper was not contagious, and becaufe that diftemper is 
not peculiar to the fpring. I faw no fpiders but what are 
common all over Sweden ; and as to the water, the fediment 
at the bottom, that caufed the yellownefs, was nothing but 
what came from iron. 
9. I was fcarcely got out of the boat, which carried me 
over the river into the meadow, before i guefled the real 
caufe of the difeafe. For i there beheld the long-leaved 
•water hemlock . My reafons for guefiing this were as follow. 
10. Becaufe in that meadow, where the cattle firll fell ill* 
this poifonous plant grows in great plenty, chiefly near the 
banks of the river. In other places it was fcarce. 
11. The lead attention will convince us that brutes ihun 
whatever is hurtfull to them, and diftinguifh poifonous 
plants from falutary by natural inftinft ; fo that this plant is 
not eat by them in the fummer, and autumn, which is the 
reafon that in thofe feafons few cattle dye, viz. only fuch as 
either accidentally, or prdfed by extreme hunger, eat of it* 
12. B &4 
