The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-04-06

more powerful ana violent In its operation than
the common hemlocR. LamarcK adopts the opin-
ion OF Linnaus and believes that the oontum ma
calIatunl was really tine Greclan poison, and tnat
It's properties were rendered more active ny the
heat OF the climate in which it grew Cuersent
supposes tnat the poisonous draugnt used by the
Greeks was not the product OF a single species
but compound prepared nom several plants.
THE ANCIENT AND MODERN nGMLocK.
Were II not Tor the tranquility aud ease which
attended death from the ancient nemlock, ana
wnicn Plato has described with interesting
mlnuteness. there would not have been much
dlfacultY IN supposng the Grecian plant 10 be the
same with that known al the present day. IL APP
pears that a large quantity requisite to insure
death. the poison was swallowed In the crude
juice, recently expressed from the plant. Oh this
the draught taken by Phocion was large enough TO
cost twelve drGc'lneG, Socrates was prevented
from making loation or part OF the contents
or Ills fatal cup, by being told that the whole was
necessary TO produce the contamination OF his SEN
tence large quanrity Of the modern hemock
might probably nave been equally fatal. though
win more violent symptoms than those which, II
Plato be correct were experienced by the Athe-
man philosopher.
Its more complete description Is as follows:--
Root Biennial somewhat fnsilorm and generally
branched stalk round, very smooth, strated, hol-
| low, jointed. and more or less marked with pur-
plish spots: leaves two or three times pinnaie.
OF very bright green, with long, sheatnlng petit
oles inserted on the joints the STEM the Leaflets
pinnatned and tootned; MOVERS ia terminal
umDels. the general invoucre with hah dozen
anceolate, rejected leaets, the partial involucre
with three or four situated on the outside; now
ers very small white petals i've, oval with their
points innexed. Stamens i've, spreading, about
the length OF the corolla. Germ inferior. Styles
two redexed outwardy. Fruit rotndish-oval
compressed riDoed, the ribs being transversely
wrnkled or crenate; separ ailng into two oDlong-
hemispherical seeds.
remarkable case or this sort OF poisoning.
winch occurred In spain, is cited by orlla IN his
''Traite des Poisonsn Bat there 10 scarcely any
narcotic plant respecting the character OF which
such various and opposite testimony has been
adduced by medical writer's. Even tue exper-
iments or the same individual are apt to present
different results from It's use, unless great care be
taken in the collection and preparation or the
medicine. The truth 49, the plant varies exceed
ingly at different ages, and In different places OF
growth, and the strength OF It's preparations Is
greatly Influenced by external circumstances.
The ldi0syncrasies OK different persons render
them variousIy susceptible or tie action or hem
lock. Some are but slightly affected by quantity
which would prove dangerous to Others
the hemlocK has been Tor many years subject
OF attention with physicians, and has been found
|
as Jaundice, tic doloureux, schirrus and cancer.
| 1t has been recommended Tor wnoor'~
but 1t Is by no means q sale medicine en-.
The most common form OF
PRESERVING THE HEALocK
for use, as well as the convenient for its
exhibition, Is that OF the inspissated juice or
tract. IL Is well known, however, that the ex-
tracts kept IN shops difer materially In their
strength, so that in beginning from Q new parcel
! ~
operation Of MS first doses. In some instances
very great quantities have been taken without
the least effect The extract IS apt to prove inert
when the plant Is gathered too young. when the
evaporation is conducted with too much heat,
when q decoctlon OF the dried plant has been
evaporated instead OF the lresn leaves. ana lastly
when the extract itself has become old. To give
the extraes It's due strength the plant should be
colleete at iull maturity, while IN nower, or in
lruit. provided IL remains green. and
the juice or the decoction should be svaporated at
tine neat OF ooillng salt water. The stock should
be renewed every year. A suitable dose Tor COM
mencenent is from one TO i've grains. This may
be increased at every time or taking 1t, uutil IT'S
Constitutional effects are felt. In peainni the
use or a new parcel more caution il requisite at
first than after It's strength mas been tested.
The .Ethusa cynapium, an umbellate plant very
eoi2Ire X. 7oston mas sometimes been mistaken
for nemiock. which IL considerably resembles. Ii
"a smaller plant, with Its stalk NOT spotted. IL
differs also in having no general involucre, while
it, partial one Is very long.
now THE DOSES ARE PREPARED.
The powdered leaves ana the inspissated Juice
are toe forms In which conium has been usually
administered. Either the leaves or the extract
may be given in the dose OF three or four grains
twice day gradually increased TIL tine occurrence
OF slight vertigo or nausea indicates that 1t has
a IN ~ "a
necessary to increase the dose even more rapidly
than Is customary with most other narcotics, "a
the system becomes very speedily accustomed TO
its influence. The strength oil the preparation or
hemlocE Is exceedingly Unequal. and caution is
therefore necessary when the medicine s gwen in
very large quantities 10 employ the same parcel,
! or. II q change IL made, to commence with the
new parcel IN small doses, so as to oDviate any
danger which might result nom ITS greater power.
This, however, IS disputed by Or. John Harley, or
London, whose experiments seem TO show THAT
this preparation is medically inert. Though fatal
10 some animals, nem.ecK IS eaten with impunlty
by otners-as horses, goats and sheep. Tns best
metnod or relieving It's poisonous ELECTS IL the
speedy evacuation or the stomach.
BECK on THE HEMLocK POISON.
4 Professor Beck. ia his work on medical Iurts-
prudence, Giles some interesting cases OF poison.
ing by hemlocK. lie SUBSTITUTING madness ana
epileptic fits occurred Professor Ray In the case
oil q woman who had eaten the roots OF the plant
Vertigo, commissions, coma and death were tue
result TO Two soldiers At waltnam Aboey, in Essex
England, VINO mad boiled It with their bacon for
dinner"
some soldiers partook OF broth into which hem.
lock had been put. All Of them we're shortly after.
ward seized with pains in the head ana throat
and felt as II drunE, but the one who mad eaten
the most had lain down and gone to sleep. Wien
nrst noticed ne was insenslDle, respirng with
great dlfncuity; his pulse small and slow even 20
thirty pulsatlons IN the minute; the exlremllies
we've cold and the lace olueish and ostended vita
blood. An emetic was given without eject. He
complained OF Deing colo, bat shortly after lost