10 
BOTANY AS APPLIED TO VETERINARY SCIENCE. 
By W. Watson, M.R.C.V.S., Rugby. 
{ContinuedfrortL vol. xxxv,716.) 
Plants which prove poisonous, or otherwise inju¬ 
rious, TO OUR Domestic Animals. 
When commencing my remarks on botany as applied to 
veterinary science, I proposed to consider the subject under 
three heads, viz., “ plants used as food, as medicines, and 
plants which prove poisonous to our domestic animals.” 
The former division has already been brought under notice, 
and according to my original intention the medicinal plants 
should next receive attention; but from the many inquiries I 
have had upon the subject from different members of the 
profession, I am inclined to believe that it vvill prove of 
greater interest to proceed at once with the third division of 
my subject, viz., the botanical characters, &c., of plants which 
prove poisonous, or otherwise injurious, to our domestic 
animals. 
No department of veterinary science is involved in greater 
obscurity than this, a fact at which we need not feel surprised 
when we consider that the fundamental starting-point, viz., a 
knowledge of the science of botany, by which alone any 
information respecting the poisonous plants can be obtained, is 
entirely omitted in the education of the veterinary surgeon. 
If there is one subject more than another which possesses 
features of interest and importance to the members of our 
profession it is a knowledge of those plants which, although 
scattered around us for some great purpose in the ^‘economy 
of nature,” and against the dangerous properties of which an 
all-wise Providence has endowed animals with a peculiar 
instinct to avoid, nevertheless do not unfrequently produce 
injurious and fatal results amongst them. Under such circum¬ 
stances, when the attention and skill of the veterinary 
surgeon is sought for, from what source is he to obtain that 
information which is so much needed, not only to apply 
the successful remedies, but also to point out the causes in 
operation, as a future preventive against tliese injurious 
results? Can he refer to what he was taught as a student, 
or has he some work upon the subject in connection with 
veterinary science from which he can obtain the information 
so much required? In both he is at fault, for at the present 
day our profession cannot boast of either the one or the 
