88 
Poppies, white, reel and yellow all contain poisonous properties. 
The heads of the white poppy grown here contain meconate 
of morphia, and numerous cases of poisoning have occurred by 
the use of syrup of poppies, many children having lost their lives 
through its use. When a child is teething, in some districts it is a 
common practice to give this (or Godfrey’s cordial, which is worse, as 
it contains more morphia); a few convictions for manslaughter might 
check it. In one case two poppy heads were boiled in a quarter of a 
pint of milk, two small spoonfuls of this was given to a child, and it 
was quiet for ever. In another case two tea spoons of a decoction 
from one poppy head was given by a nurse to quiet a child. The 
child died the next day. 
The Ranunculus family mostly contain acrid and noxious proper¬ 
ties. The meadow crowfoot (11. arris) has caused death. 
Black bryony ( Tamils communis). The roots contain an irritant 
principle bryonine. In several cases where prescribed medicinally it 
has ended fatally. 
The Thorn Apple (Datura stramonium) has been taken accidentally 
as well as criminally. An infusion of the leaves has been taken in 
error for Senna tea, and also for horelioimd, with fatal results. It has 
also been added to salads. The alkaloid is daturia. 
Hedge Hyssop (Gratiola officinalis) has been given by quacks, 
causing death. The poisonous principle is known as gratioline. 
Milk.— Another point which may he here considered is that of 
cattle feeding on certain plants, and their milk thereby becoming 
poisonous. The hedge Hyssop ((!. officinalis), several Spurges 
(Euphorbiae) are supposed to have caused this, and according to Taylor 
it is now generally admitted that milk may he so poisoned. There 
can be no doubt that when cows feed on garlic, wormwood, sow¬ 
thistle, and even on cabbage, the taste of the milk or butter is 
affected (how, we will leave to recent research in bacteria and 
buttermaking to explain). A case is reported from Aurillac, in 
France, where sixteen persons were seized with violent sickness after 
drinking the milk of a goat. It was never discovered what had 
caused the poisonous action. There was a quantity of Euphorbia esula 
growing on the pasture, and it was surmised that the goat had been 
eating this plant. 
Poisoned Flesh.— Some cases of poisoned flesh are recorded in 
North America. Pheasants which had been feeding on the buds of 
Calmia latifolia have caused severe illness (a). The flesh of hares w hich 
have fed on Rhododendron chrysanthemum is considered dangerous. 
A e came across a case under this head. In the severe winter of 1895 
a hare was sent to some people. The whole family who partook of it 
became severely ill, and mind it was quite fresh—no question of 
ptomaine poisoning arising. We should say that in all probability 
that hare had been indulging in some poisonous garden-plant. In 
France, snails which had fed on Coriaria myri folia poisoned a whole 
family (b). It is also known that honey from bees fed on rhododen¬ 
dron, calmia, azalea, datura and other plants, acts as a poison, causing 
severe illness (<;). 
(a) Becks. Med. Jur., 854. 
(b) Gaz. Med., Oct., 1812. 
(c) Taylor Poisons, 100. 
