VETERINARY TOXICOLOGY. 
25 
of abnormal action; the bladder was empty but slightly 
congested in its inner coat. In the rumen—which was 
moderately full—the distichous leaves and small branches 
of yew were at once apparent and formed more than half the 
bulk of the ingesta. A few of the naked seeds of the yew were 
present, and also a few fragments of leaves of the common 
laurel (Cerasus laurocerasus ) very much etiolated. A few 
twigs of some of the suboi'ders of Rosacem with the Gramineae 
formed the solid contents of the organ. In the reticulum 
the yew could be seen, but in a finer form, while in the 
omasum it was very apparent, and even in the abomasum 
and duodenum the shining tints of the partly digested leaves 
were easily recognised. The cuticular lining of the first, 
second, and third compartments of the stomach was easily 
detached; indeed, it seemed to have more affinity for the 
ingesta than for the mucous tissue, which bore distinct traces 
of irritation, but no extravasation was observable. The 
redness was most marked in the rumen, principally in large 
patches, visible even before the cuticular lining was removed. 
In the abomasum the redness was more intense and 
extended into the duodenum in a uniform tinge, and 
throughout the whole of the small intestines—which vrere 
almost devoid of any solid ingesta—the effects of an irritant 
were more or less visible. The csecum contained a small 
quantity of fluid focces, but no trace of the yew In the 
colon was a quantity of solid ingesta of a normal consistence 
and character, and in the rectum no abnormal appearances 
were observable. The heart and lungs were gorged with 
blood, dark in colour, and of fluid consistence; it did not 
coagulate readily on exposure. The spinal cord, which I 
had an opportunity of examining entire throughout its 
whole length, presented nothing peculiar to the unaided eye, 
but the membranes were congested. The meninges of the 
brain were highly injected, and the ventricles contained a 
quantity of straw-coloured fluid. 
In the second animal, the one which was bled, the appear¬ 
ances of poisoning were less observable. The yew leaves 
and branches were very abundant in the stomach, and the 
epithelium could be easily detached, although not quite so 
readily as in the first animal; indeed, had it not been for 
the presence of the yew in -such large quantities, and the 
absence of any other lesions, it would have been extremely 
difficult to assign the cause of death. 
All the circumstances being considered and the facts stated, 
forced me to the conclusion that the animals were poisoned 
by yew, and I returned a verdict to that effect. The clergy- 
