THE PRINCIPLES OF BOTANY. 
13 
will pardon us if we think the late learned doctor was largely- 
consulted in its production : 
ff The hemlock is such a dangerous plant that all people 
living in the country should make themselves acquainted 
with its appearance. It is very abundant in most parts of 
Great Britain, and to the uninstructed looks very like cow- 
parsley or many other harmless herbs. Its poisonous prin¬ 
ciple, which is alike dangerous to man and animals, resides 
chiefly in the roots and leaves, and may be extracted by 
water. Its energy varies according to season and locality. 
The active principle is known to chemists under the name of 
conia . It is an alkaloid, and is very soluble in alcohol and 
other allied agents, combining with diluted acids to form 
salts. It is much employed in modern medicine as an anti- 
spasmodic and anodyne, and in the last edition of the 
‘ British Pharmacopoeia 5 we find it prescribed in several forms. 
“ It is used in diseases of the glands, in scrofulous and 
cutaneous disorders; but it is far too powerful a remedy to 
be employed by any but a regular practitioner. Dr. Chris- 
tison’s experience is that conia , whether free or combined, 
is a most powerful poison. Dr. Taylor tells us that it exists 
in hemlock; it undoubtedly operates by absorption, yet 
\yhen insulated it destroys life so rapidly that it must be 
supposed to kill without entering the blood. 
“ It produces general palsy without insensibility, and with 
slight occasional twitches only of the limbs of the animal. 
He says: i It is singular that the heart does not appear to 
be affected by the poison, as this organ pulsates even after 
other signs of life have ceased. Death appears to be due to 
asphyxia, from the general paralysis of the respiratory 
muscles. 5 
“ A single drop of conia applied to the eye of a rabbit killed 
it in nine minutes, and three drops killed a strong cat in a 
minute and a half. Cases of accidental poisoning by hem¬ 
lock are not unfrequent, generally from its being mistaken 
for other herbs. Orfila relates an instance where some sol¬ 
diers ate it in soup. They appeared as if intoxicated. The 
one who had eaten most became senseless in less than two 
hours after swallowing the poison, and though emetics were 
soon administered he died in three hours. 
“ In some cases it causes paralysis. Dr. J. Hughes Bennett 
relates a case of a man eating a quantity of hemlock in mis¬ 
take for parsley. Soon afterwards he was seized with 
paralysis of the lower extremities, then of the arms and body, 
and three hours after having eaten it he died. These acci¬ 
dents should deter any one from allowing hemlock to grow 
