Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-05-17
BLOOMS THAT POISON
DOORS OF FLOWERS THAT ARE
HARMFUL TO HEALTH.
Beware of the Poppy - 1t Contains
Opium and Induces Drowsi-
ness.


From London answers.
The majority of people think that the
tulip has no smell, and this is true of
great number of the fashionable Yariegated
kinds. The old self-colored sorts, however,
particularly those of a deep crimson hue,
have a powerful odor, which is dangerous
hen inhaled. This odor is of saffron fla
vor and affects many people in a very pc
culiar manner. If breathed deeply it has
the effect of producing Medicines,
which continues for some time, causing
the sufferer to do and say all manner of
remarkable and ridiculous things. Its in
fiuence often lasts for an hour or two, and
is followed by deep depression.
Another common flower whose odor has
evil properties is the poppy, This is doubt
less due to the quantity of opium which
the blossom contains. Numbers of individ-
uals, especially young ladies of highly strung
temperament, complain of the drowsy sem
satlon which comes after walking through
a field OF these flowers and afterward of
violent headaches and a Discrimination to
move about. In Asia Minor where the
poppy is grown in vast quantities for the
purpose of extracting the drug, tourists are
frequently lncapacitated for many hours
after inspecting poppy plantation, and
TWO cases OF death among English tourists
were traced to the same cause last year.
Danger in Bulbs.
All flowers grown from bulbs are dam
gerous in rooms where there is illness. AL
though punches of flowers are invariably
taken as presents to patients, such blooms
as hyaclnths, lilies of the valley, tuberoses
and even daffodils and narcissus should
be carefully avoided. The perfume is as
dangerous to a person in a critical state of
heaith as a dose of morphia would be
without possessing the benefits which that
drug sometimes confers
ferhaps the most remarkable effect which
any garden flower has on the human bodv
IS tnat which follows the handling of the
particular variety OF primula known as OH
cohlca. Experienced gardeners are always
careful to wear gloves when pottIng this
plant, as should there be ever such a
sllght scratch or prick on the hands or fin
gers, EVIL results are almost certain to fol-
low. The first noticeable result is a slight
ltching OF the hands and arms and this
precedes the breaking out of a skin disease
Which frequently extends to the body. 1t
ales away IN the autumn, when the leaves
fali, and by Christmas the sufferer is free
But the primula has by no means finished
ITS deadly work. When spring comes again
ana the sap rises in plants and trees. the
dread disease makes its temperance and
continues all through the summer This
continues for many years-frequently for
the whole of the victims lifetime-and
tnere is no known remedy for It, although
years OF the most rigid dieting have in
some cases produced diminution in its
violence.
Noxious Berries
IL blood poisoning by the primula obcon-
lea does not take this form, It brings about
the stAl more dreadful erysipelas Cases
of poisoning through eating the berries OF
the beiladonna, or deadly nightshade, are
all too frequent; but there is the gravest
danger in even handling this attractive
plant. 1t is a very common practice in the
country among parties of young people TO
pick the berries and flick them at each
other with the fingers for sport Then.
when heated by the fun and fusillade.
the face is sometimes mopped with a hand
kerchief upon which fingers sticky with the
juice of the berries have been wiped Should.
but just little of this get into one of the
eyes, fearful calamity may ensue Iritis.
or paralysis of the iris of the eye. which
invariably results in blindness, has been
known to come on. and against this dread
disease medical skill has as yet proved un-
awaiting. This, too, is in face of the para
doxical fact that treatment with tincture
of beliadonna is the one usually adopted in
the elementary stages of iritis
The dainty heroine who is so often TO he
heard of as idly plucking to pieces the
petals OF flower must beware which bios
SONS She chooses for the purpose Lilies.
begonias, rhododendrons and peonies are
likely to set up testers, with consequent
loss Of finger nails, II treated in this way.