The Democratic advocate., 1902-08-09
Blooms that Poison.

The majority of people think that the tulip
has no smell, and this is true of great num-
Der of the fashionable variegated kinds. The
old self colored sorts, however, particularly
those OF deep crimson hue, have powerful
odor, which is dangerous when inhaled. This
odor is of saffron flavor and affects many peo-
pie in very peculiar manner. If breathed
deeply. it has the effect of producing light
headedness, which continues for some time,
causing the sufferer to do and say all manner
of remarkable and ridiculous things. Its in
fuence 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
som contains. Numbers of individuals, espe-
cially young ladies of highly strung tempera-
ment, complain of the drowsy sensation which
comes after walking through field of these
flowers and afterward of violent headaches
and disInclination to move about. In Asia
Minor, where the poppy is grown in vast guam
titles for the purpose of extracting the drug,
tourists are frequently incapacitated for many
hours after inspecting poppy plantation, and
two cases of death among English tourists
were traced to the same cause last year.
All flowers grown from bulbs are dangerous
in rooms where there is illness. Although
punches of flowers are invariably taken as
presents to patients. such blooms as hyacinths,
lilies of the valley, tuberoses and even daffo-
dis and narcissuses should be carefully avoid
ed. The perfume is as dangerous to person
in critical state of health as dose of mor-
phia would be, without possessing the benefits
which that drug sometimes confers
Perhaps the most remarkable effect which
any garden flower has on the human body is
that which follows the handling of the partic-
ular variety of primula known as obconica.
Experienced gardeners are always careful to
wear gloves when potting this plant, as, should
there be ever such a slight scratch or prick on
the hands or fingers, evil results are almost
certain to follow.
The first noticeable result is slight itching
of the hands and arms, and this precedes the,
breaking out of a skin disease which frequently
extends to the body. 1t dies away in the au-
tumn when the leaves fall, and by Christmas
the sufferer is free, but the primula has by no
means finished its deadly work. When spring
comes again and the sap rises in plants and
trees, the dread disease makes its reappear-
ance and continues all through the summer.
This continues for many years, frequently
for the whole of the victims lifetime, and
there is no known remedy for it, although
years of the most rigid dieting have in some
cases produced diminution in its violence
If blood poisoning by the primula obconica
does not take this form, it brings about the
still more dreadful erysipelas. Cases Of po;s-
oning through eating the berries of the BELLA
donna, or deadly nightshade, are all too fre-
quent, but there is the gravest danger in even
handling this attractive plant.
It 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 handkerchief upon which fingers sticky
with the juice of the berries have been wiped.
Should but Just a little of this get into one of
the eyes a fearful calamity may ensue. Irtis,
or paralysis of the iris of the eye, which IN
variably results in blindness, has been known
to come on, and against this dread disease
medical skill has as yet proved unavailing.
This, too, is in face of the paradoxical fact
that treatment with tinctnre of belladonna is
the one usually adopted in the elementary
stages of iritis.
The dainty heroire who is SO often to be
heard of as idly pIucking to pieces the petals
of flower must beware which blossoms she
chooses for the purpose. Lilies. begonias,
rhododendrons and peonies are likely to set
up testers, with consequent loss Of finger nails.
If treated in this Way.