The Tucson citizen., 1902-07-03
BLOOMS THAT POISON
DOORS OF FLOWERS THAT ARE HARM,
Full TO HEALTH.
Beware of the Poppy, as 1t Contains
Opium and Induces Dr0vvsiness.
Tulips That Are Dangerous and
Produce Light Hemdedness

/ Produce Light Headedmess.
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 when inhal-
cd. This odor Is of saffron flavor and
| affects many people in very peculiar
manner. Ii brcathed deeply, it has
! the effect of producing light headed
ness. which continues for some time,
causing the sufferer to 10 and say all
manner of remarkable ana ridiculous
| things. Its influence 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 doubtless due to the quantity OF
opium which the blossom contains.
Numbers OF individuals, especially
young ladies OF highly strung temper.
ament. complain OF the drowsy sensa-
ton which comes after walking
through held of these flowers and
afterward Of violent headaches aud a
disinclinatipn to move about. In Asia
Minor, where the poppy is grown in
vast quantities for the purpose Of ex-
tractiu- the drug. tourists are fire.
quentIy ineapacitated for many hours
, after inspecting poppy plantation.
and two eases OF death among Eng
lish tourists were traced to the same
cause last year.
All flowers grown from bulbs are
dangerous in rooms where there is i'll
ness. Although punches OF flowers are
invariably taken as presents to pa.
tents. such blooms as hyacinths, lilies
OF the valley. tuberoses and even dat
fodils aud narcissuses should be care
fully avoided. The perfume is as dan
gerous to person in critical state OF
health as dose of morphia would be,
without possessing the benefits which
that drug sometimes confers.
Perhaps the most remarkable effect
which any garden flower has Oh the
human body is that which follows the
handling OF the particular variety OF
primula known as 0bconicn. Expe-
rienced gardeners are always careful
to wear gloves when potting this
plant. as. should there be ever such
slight scratch or prick on the hands or
fingers. evil results are almost certain
to follow.
The first noticeable result IL a slight !
itching Of the hands aud arms. and this |
precedes the breaking out OF skin I
disease which frequently extends to
the body. II dies away in the autumn /
when the leaves fall. and by Christ
mas the sufferer il free. but the pri-
mula has by no means finished its
deadly work. When spring comes again
and the sap rises in plants and trees,
the dread disease makes It's reappear.
anee and continues all through the
summer
This continues for many years fire.
quently for the whole OF the victims
lifetime. and there is no known rem
edy for 1t, although years Of the most
rigid dieting have In some cases pro
duced dImnution In its violence.
Ii blood poisoning by the primula
obconica does not take this form, 1t
brings about the still more dreadful
arysipeias. Cases Of poisoning through
eating the berries OF the beiladoana, or
ieadly nightshade. are all too frequent,
Dut there is the grayest danger In even
this attractive plant.
1t Is a very common practice in the
country among parties Of young peo-
Die to pick the berries and aiek' them
1t each other with the fingers for
port. Then. when heated by the fun
Ind fusillade. the face Is sometimes
nopped with handkerchief upon
which fingers sticky with the juice OF
he berries have been wiped.
Should but just little Of this get
nto one of the eyes a fearful calamity
nay ensue. Iritis. or paralysis Of the
ris OF the eye. which invariably re- |
ults in blindness, has been known to I
ome on. and against this dread dis :
ase medical skill has as yet proved [
availing. This too, Ia In face Of the
fact that treatment with .
Incture OF belladonna is the one usual.
Y adopted in the elementary stages Of
.itis.
The dainty heroine who Is SO often
o be heard Of as idly plucking to
ieces the petals of flower must be-
vare which blossoms she chooses for ,
he purpose. Lilies, begonias. rhodo-
endrons and peonies are likely to set
p testers, with consequent loss Of
niger nails, If treated In this way
ondon Answers.