The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-04-06
HEMLOCK AS A DRUG.
Where the Plant is Found and
It's Properties.
OPINIONS OF MEDICAL WRITER'S.
Testimony Of the Physicians At
tending the Victim.
CARD FROM DR.. AGNEW.

The remarkable death or Professor +. w. walker
from the effects or hemock, as published In yes
terday's HERALD has already attracted consider
able attention both in scientific and medical
circles. The TACT that the deceased swallowed the
narcotic drug for the relel OF plepnaro-lacial
Bpasms lends additional interest to the case while
the wonderful selfconIrol displayed by Professor
Walker In his last moments, IN debating the
memoranda or his symptoms, places him In the
category OF o martyr TO science.
The evidence taken at the inquest yesterday
leads TO the superstition that his death may have
been sought on his part, Tor one OF the medical
witnesses stated that Professor Walker had re-
marked that death by hemlock would be an easy
one and he also referred TO the death OF Socrates
rs an instance OF the fact. At the present stage
Of the investigation into the manner and method
pf his death 1t is of course premature TO express
any decided opinion on this question. Many
medical men seem TO entertain the idea that
Mr.. walker was simply experimenting with
the drug and incautiously swallowed more
Of It than was proper. They also regarded sucn
an experiment singuarly unfortunate; for lt
appears that the faculty have always viewed the
extract OF hemocK with extreme distrust. Con-
sequentlY It was scarcely ever used In prescrp-
lions among our practising physicians. In order
90 give the readers OF the HERALD some idea OF
the character ana properties OF hemlocK the iol-
authorities OF ancient and modern days.
HOW HEMLocK GROWS.
Hemlock is an umDeliferous plant and Is a native
OF Europe, and has become naturalized In the
United States. where 1t is also cultivated Tor
medicinal purposes. 1t grows usually IN clusters
along the roadside or in waste grounds, and Is
found most abundant in old settlements. 1t
lowers in Juns and July. The whole plant
especially at TINS period. exhaes fetld door, and
narcotic effects result from breathing for o long
time air loaded With the cfiuvia The nemock OF
Greece. Italy and Spain IS said to be much more
energetic in action than that OF Northern Europe.
THE DRIED LEAVES
H the hemlock have strong, heavy, narcotic
Bdor; their taste is bittersn and nauseous; their
color Is DARK green, which is retained IN the
powder No satisfactory analysis OF hemlock has
ever been made. DR.. Schraeder found in the juice
Of the leaves resin. extractive, gum, albumen,
n green fecular and various saline substances
So long ago as 1927 Dr.. Gieske obtained an aka
line liquid by distilling hemock leaves with
wafer aud caustic lime. 1t appears that there are
two volatile substances in hemlock-one OF them
IN OIL which comes over by simple dIstillation,
and upon which the odor OF the plant depends,
and the other an alkaline principle, " hich. as it
exists in the plant, Is so comolned as not 10 be
volatihzaole. but which, when separated by one OF
the mineral aikalles from Its native combination,
rises steadily In dstlllatlon, and may thus be pro-
pured. The latter substance Is the active princi-
pie, and has received the name OF coma or coniine
According TO Professor Christison. the easiest
me bod 10 obtain coma from the leaves IL 10 ais
TIL mixture OF q strong solution OF potassa and
the alcoholic extract OF the unripe fruit. As OBJ
tanned oy the above process, COMA IL In state OF
hydrate containing one.lourth OF It's weight or
water and 9 little ammonia. From the former 1t
49, ooA hw Of ekAt
Ter BY exposing 1t under an exhausted receiver till
Il ceases 10 emit bubbles OF gas.
The presence OF COMA In an extract or otner
preparation Of hemlock Is detected by rubbing ~
win potassa, which instantly develops It's pecu-
liar odor. IL consists or nitrogen, carbon ana
hydrogen. In q saline state it Ia the most active
Its most energetic poison; ore drop OF 1t In.
Iected into the eye OF a rabbit killed the animal In
nine minutes. ana three drops killed stout cat
In minute and hall wnen simi rly applied.
nEMLocK Is NARCOTIC
and somewhat sedative 10 the circulation. IL d.
rectly diminsnes the action OF the heart, and
when IL produces death exhausts the contrac.
tiDnty OF that organ. When gwen so as to July
Affect the system it produces more or less YER.
tigo, oimness OF vision nausea, Iaintness, sensa.
ton OF numbness and general muscular de.
bility. In larger doses is occasions dilAted pu.
pills. difficulty or speech, delrlum or stupor
trsmors and paralysis, and ultimately convulslons
and death. Sometimes It produces fasa effects
through paralysis alone, without coma or convuI.
Iions. Its operation usually commences IN less
than MALI an hour and II moderate. seldom con-
tinues longer than twenty-iour hours Il is sup
posed to be the narcotic used by the ancient Alhe
mans TO destroy the lie OF condemned individuals
and py which Socrates and Pnoclon died. II was
also used oy the ancients as a medicine, but fell
Iutn an
when II again came into notice and was extraya.
eantly praised. since that time It has been SUD.
rnitred 10 ample trial, and though its original
reputation mas not been fully sustained. IL stll
retains place in the catalogue OF useful med.
nnes. II has been highly recommended BY promi.
nent physicians IN painful scro,ulous tumors and
ulcers, in various diseases OF she skin aud In
chronic rheumatism and neuralglc aGectlons. II
has also been employed with ne effect oI relieving
Or palhatng tie symptoms or myoraDy modifying
lhs action OF other remedies.
ANCIENT usrs OF THE POISON
Tbis plant has been noted as a poison
from remote antiquity. In consequence o. the
power which It possessed or destroying life ia
certain aud almost immediate manner, IL was
used at Athens az a mOse OF execution Tor those
condemned TO death By the tribunal or Areopa.
aus. Socrates and Pnocion we're among the dis
tinaushed ancienis VINO suffered death by the
agency OF this poison. The accounts wnIcR have
been LETT respecting it would lead Us " believe
mat its operation was speedy ana unat.
tended with any violent or long pro-
tracted snaoring. II was not only en-
nloyed a. AZ instrument Of public execu.
tons, but vas resorted TO BY those VINO sought to
encounter suicide 10 It's least formidable shape.
Among other instances that OF the Cean old men
IL related py Ehan, Who when they had become
useless to the state and tired Of the nurmiiies Of
life, invited each other 70 banquet, and. having
crowned themselves as in celeDration OF joyous
festival. drank the conium and terminated their
existence together
The description which has been lot by
Dioscorideg Of the CONAN only shows Il 10 have
been an uInbelia,o plant, ais character OF winch
might apply 10 many species. The mention
made or II by Latin writers under tEe name Or