36 
this useful branch of botany to be taught instead of many less useful 
subjects, it might be a means of preventing such frequent occurrence 
of these distressing cases which so often form the subject of a Coroner’s 
inquiry. 
Aconite ( Aconitum napellm ) or Monkshood, is responsible for many 
deaths. The root has been served up for horseradish, notwithstanding 
its disagreeable odour, which is most unlike the pungent mustardy 
smell of the latter. The leaves have been eaten for parsley, but how 
on earth that mistake arose it is difficult to conceive. A decoction 
has been taken by mistake for a cordial, and also been administered 
accidentally for medicine. Anyone can distinguish the root, it is 
conical with a number of conical fibres, and it is not unusual to find 
one or two pear-shaped tubers attached by narrow necks to the upper 
part of the root. The root of horseradish should be familiar to all, 
the difference in colour is quite enough to distinguish it, aconite being 
nut-brown, and horseradish buff colour, to say nothing of the smell 
before alluded to. The Bhils of the Himalayas use a species of aconite 
(A. fero.v) to poison their arrows and spear-heads, whether game killed 
in that way would have any ill-effects, we cannot say, anyhow, it would 
be in a very diluted form. 
Hemlock ( (Amiinn maculatum) has been served in soup and taken 
in mistake for parsley, with fatal results, and recently the seeds have 
been used in mistake for celery seed, and also for aniseed. 
The Water Hemlock (L'icuta rirom). The roots have been served 
as parsnips, the leaves for celery. It has been described as by far the 
most active of our poisonous plants, and is considered to have 
supplied the far famed Athenian poison (a). It is very dangerous for 
cattle, and in some localities it is known as cowbane. 
The Water Parsnip or Water Dropwort ((tenantin’ i>hoellandrium). 
The roots have been taken as parsnips, causing death. 
The Narrow Leaved Water Parsnip (Sium ani/ustifolium ) is 
common in brooks in the south, and the leaves have been taken in 
mistake for watercress, with fatal results. The terminal leaflet of 
watercress is larger than any of the others, whilst in the water 
parsnip it is smaller. This would prevent mistakes if generally 
known. 
The Fool’s Parsley (Aethusa cynapium) has been eaten for parsley, 
the roots for young turnips. The leaves are not unlike badly grown 
parsley, but finer and of a darker colour, it can easily be distinguished 
by the beard or three long pendulous leaves of the involucrum under 
the flower, and in its earlier stages by the pungent odour of the leaves 
when rubbed. 
The Black Hellebore or Christmas Rose (Helleborus uiyrr) belongs 
to a poisonous genus, its roots have been taken by mistake for 
rhubarb, and quacks or herbalists have given it with fatal results. 
The Stinking Hellebore (//. foetid us) and white Hellebore ()>»•«- 
tnnn album) have both caused death through mistake. 
Henbane (Hynscyamun niyer) is a dangerous plant, its leaves and 
roots have been cooked as articles of diet with disastrous results. 
The Potato ( Solatium tuberosum), generally looked upon as the 
most useful and innocent of plants, has on occasion belied its character. 
(a) Stephenson and Churchill, Med. Ii h., vol. ii., p. 81). 
