The Tucson citizen., 1902-06-20
BLOOMS THAT POISON
DOORS OF FLOWERS THAT ARE HARM.
FUL TO HEALTH.

beware OF the Poppy, as 1t Contains
Opium and Induces DrOwainess.
Tulips That Are Dangerous and
Produce Liaht HeadedneAs.
The majority of people think that
the tulip has no smell, and this Is true
OF a great number OF the fashionabl
Nariegated kinds. The old self colored
sorts, however, particularly those OF
deep crimson hue, have a powerful
odor, which is dangerous when nhal-
cd. This odor Is Of saffron favor ana
affects many people in very peculiar
manner. IL breathed deeply, 1t has
the effect Of producing light headed
ness, which continues for some time
causing the sufferer to do and say all
manner Of remarkable and 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 walk ing
through a field of these flowers and
nfterward of violent headaches and u
disinclination to move about. In Asia
Minor, where the poppy is grown In
vast quantities for the purpose Of ex
IpNe 81 fro
quently incapacitated for many hours
after inspecting poppy plantation,
and two cases 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 Ill
ness. Although bunches of flowers are
invariably taken as presents 10 pa
TENTS such blooms as hyacinths. lilies
of the valley. tuberoses and even DAT
fodils and narcissuses should be care
fully avoided. The perfume Is as dan
gerous to person In critical state Of
health as a dose OF morphia 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 particular variety Of
prlmula known as obconica. Expe~
rienced gardeners are always careful
TO wear gloves when potting this
plant. as, should there be ever such Il
slight scratch or prick on the hands or
fingers, evil results are almost certain
| 10 follow.
| The first noticeable result is slight
itching OF the hands and arms, and this
precedes the breaking out OF skin
disease which frequently extends TO
the body. 1t dies away in the autumn
| when the leaves fall. and by Christ
mas the sufferer is free. but the pTi
| mula has by no means fiDished ifs
| deadly work. When spring comes again
| and the sap rises 10 plants and trees.
| the dread disease makes its reappear.
/ auce and continues all through the
| summer.
| This continues for many wears, fire..
| uuently for the whole Of the victim =
/ lifetime. and there is no known rem
! edy for 1t, although years Of the most
/ rigid dieting have IN some cases pro
/ duced a diminution In its violence.
/ II blood poisoning by the rFimuia
/ obconica does not take this form. ii
brings about the still more dreadful
! erysipelas. Cases Of poisoning through
eating the berries of the belladonna, or
deadly nightshade. are all too frequent,
but there is the gravest danger in even
handling this attractive plant.
IL is a very common practice In the
country among parties Of young peo-
Die to pick the berries aud flick them
ut each other with the fingers for
snort Then. when heated hy the fun
and fusiIade. the face is sometimes
uopped with a 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 fearful calamity
may eusue Iritis, or paralysis Of the
iris of the eye, which invariably re-
suits In blindness. has been known 10
come ON, and against this dread dis
ease medical skill has rs yet proved
unavailing This, too. is in face OF the
paradoxical fact that treatment with
! tincture OF belIadonna Is the one usual
1 ly adopted in the elementary stages OF
| iritis,
! The dainty heroine who is SO often
to be heard OF as idly plucking to
pieces the petals Of flower must be
ware which blossoms she chooses for
the purpose Lilies, beeonias, rhodo-
dendrons and peonies are likely to set
up testers, with consequent loss "f
finger nails. If treated in this way
London Answers.