108 
Poisoning by hemlock. 
Its leaves, tlie most poisonous part of the plant, may be 
mistaken for parsley, and its root for parsnip. It has poi¬ 
sonous properties in common with many other Umbellifers, 
such as JEthusa cynapium , Cicuta virosa , and (JEnanthe cro- 
caia, the last of which is considered the most poisonous, 
although it is not found to be poisonous in all circumstances. 
Professor Christison states that he has not found this plant, 
as it grows in Scotland, to be poisonous; but it is an active 
poison as it grows in England, Wales, and Ireland. The 
distinguishing botanical character of Conium maculatum is 
the presence of five prominent wavy ridges on its carpels, 
instead of the linear receptacles for volatile oil termed vittce, 
which characterise the order. Poisoning by hemlock is by 
no means uncommon in man, and numerous cases are 
recorded in the lower animals. 
I propose to give the history of the instances which I have 
recently met with, for the reason that the cases were well 
marked; the plant was recognised as being the cause before 
the death of two of the animals, so that I was enabled to 
note the symptoms. 
The subjects were four ten-months-old pigs, the property 
of Mrs. Sismey, Deeping St. James. They had been fed ex¬ 
clusively on barleymeal and slops in the crewe-yard, and 
were in good condition. Owing to the gate being left 
open they got out of the yard and wandered into an ad¬ 
joining grass-paddock, which was bounded on one side 
by a small stream, on the bank of which hemlock grew 
in great abundance. It was not confined to the bank, 
however, but was to be found more or less about the 
sides of the hedges all round the field. 
It was not known how long the pigs were in the field, for 
they were found feeding among the cow's when they were 
removed from the field to be milked, about 6 p.m. They 
were fetched up with them to the yard, and no notice was 
taken of the circumstance until next morning, when two of 
them were found dead, and the other two unable to stir. 
When I reached the place, about 8 a.m., I found the pigs 
lying prostrate in the yard; they could not be made to move, 
but emitted a feeble grunt when pressed to rise. The surface 
of the body was cold, the breathing very slow, the mucous 
membranes were livid, the eyes amaurotic. No pulse could 
be felt, but the heart of one could be heard contracting 
vigorously. Some food emptied into the trough had the effect 
of causing one to get up on its fore legs, but the animal was 
unable to raise the hind ones, and giving a few grunts 
relapsed into its comatose condition again. 
