AMATOUi',m3RM'}       Poisoning  by  Wild  Parsnep.  371 
evaporated  to  the  desired  consistency.  The  amount  of  charcoal  ne- 
cessary is  about  four  per  cent,  of  the  quantity  of  glue  in  solution. 
The  odor  given  off  by  evaporation  after  it  has  been  purified  with  char- 
coal is  quite  pleasant  and  resembles  that  of  bouillon  soup,  while  that 
given  off  by  the  former  method  is  one  of  the  most  disagreeable  smells 
that  ever  polluted  the  atmosphere. 
Glue  prepared  in  this  way  answers  all  the  requirements  of  a  first 
class  article.  Even  in  thick  layers  the  color  is  a  pale  wine  yellow, 
and  it  possesses  a  high  degree  of  elasticity.  It  has  neither  smell  nor 
taste  ;  and  being  always  prepared  from  fresh  material,  it  can  be  em- 
ployed for  all  the  purposes  of  so-called  gelatin. — Scientific  American, 
from  Dingier  s  Polyteclm.  Journ. 
POISONING   BY   WILD    PARSNEP — [SIUM   LATIFOLIUM  OF 
GRAY]. 
By  C.  B.  White,  M.  D.,  U.  S.  A. 
On  April  24th,  1873,  I  was  called,  after  dark,  to  assist  E.  C,  a 
native  of  Belgium,  aged  forty-nine  years,  nearly  twenty-one  years  a 
resident  of  California,  who  was  suffering  from  the  effects  of  eacing 
less  than  one  ounce  (estimated)  of  the  fresh  root  of  the  wild  parsnep. 
Evidently  not  familiar  with  either  this  plant  or  with  the  taboose 
(a  highly  nutritious  and  harmless  tuber,  largely  used  by  our  Indians 
as  food),  he  had  taken  and  eaten  some  of  the  root  of  the  former, 
probably  mistaking  it  for  the  latter,  about  two  hours  and  a  half  be- 
fore I  saw  him.  On  my  arrival,  I  found  that  he  had  received  partial 
relief  from  vomiting  and  purging,  apparently  induced  by  the  root 
itself,  but  I  found  him  much  excited  and  very  prostrate  in  strength ; 
pulse  44,  skin  cold  and  clammy,  pupils  somewhat  dilated,  respiration 
slow.  He  complained  of  great  dizziness,  lack  of  mental  power,  and 
\  loss  of  voluntary  motion,  headache,  sense  of  fear  of  death,  with  a 
decided  burning  feeling  along  the  alimentary  tract  (gesophagus  es- 
pecially), and  sense  of  swelling  and  flatness  about  the  bowels.  I  ex- 
amined the  excreta  and  became  satisfied  that  most  of  the  root  had 
been  ejected,  and  at  once  gave  him  two  ounces  of  whiskey,  mixed  up 
with  a  raw  egg.  After  this  had  revived  him,  I  administered  morphine 
sulphas  gr.  J,  and  left  a  compound  ipecac  powder  for  later  use. 
Before  I  left  him  he  was  feeling  much  better  in  every  way,  the  skin 
was  warmer,  the  pulse  50,  the  respiration  and  appearance  of  the  eyes 
nearly  normal. 
