EDITORIAL OBSERVATIONS. 
423 
On these grounds we think we may venture to congratulate, 
not only the members of the Agricultural Society of England 
and our own profession, but the community at large, on the re¬ 
sult; since the time may come—although there is no fear at pre¬ 
sent—when this formidable malady will reach our own shores 
through the introduction of foreign cattle; for who can say 
what countries will not be involved, what changes not ne¬ 
cessitated, now that the demon of war has been aroused 
from his slumbers, and his oriflamme is brandished high 
under the guise and in the name of liberty ? Would that man’s 
reason had been appealed to rather than his passions, and 
that Peace—under whose benign influence the arts and 
sciences make progress, and the nobler faculties of 
man are called forth into active exercise for the good of 
his fellow man—had been allowed to continue unbroken; 
till nations having forgotten the devastating art of war, 
their rulers had not dared to bring their armies into the 
field, to mutilate and slay each other. “Bella! horrida 
bella!” 
ON POISONING BY YEW. 
The case communicated by Mr. Stephenson, of a colt 
having been accidentally poisoned by eating of the leaves of 
the yew tree (Tams baccatce )—although very many similar 
instances are to be found in the archives of veterinary 
medicine—reminds us that the nature of the active prin¬ 
ciple of the plant has not yet been ascertained. Is it not a 
subject w r orthy of investigation ? That it is a narcotic in 
its influence seems to be proved by life being often by it 
suddenly withdrawn, and no visible effects left on any of the 
organs. Moreover, it is said powerfully to reduce the action 
of the heart and arteries when it has been given for some 
time, resembling, in this respect, digitalis, although, unlike 
it, it does not accumulate in the svstem. Narcotics, it is 
