Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-10-31
LOOK OUT FOR THIS
POISONOUS PLANT!
cieuta. Widely distributed. Is Some.
times Fatal to Man and De-
mestic Animals.

mESttc an s.
Many deaths, both OF human beings
and domestic animals. are caused ,y-
,.y year 10y eicu,I OF water hemlock.
y poisonous plant. i Is the most VIC
lenlJ poisonous Of temperate region
plants. Yet il is not generally reeoc.
med Learn to know II and look out
Tor il. A warning has just beensssued
By specialists OF the L :. Department
o. Agriculture in the form of circu-
lar from the Bureau OF Animal Indus
Try, "CiCUta (Water Heulockl as Il
Poisonous PlGnt.' which describes
this plant and gives remedies. though
cases among domestic animals must
be considered rs practically hopeless
SO far rs treatment is concerned.
Cicuta is widely distributed. Tn
fortunately. il resembles u number of
harmless plants and is not easily rec.
osaI2ablc. Il belongs 10 the same
family as carrots and paysnips. Il has
a number Of popular names. of which
the most common is Cow bane." or
water hemlOek.' In the mountain
regions OF the West il is frequently
called "parsnip' or wild parsnip."
Other names. less common. are
"snakeroot.' "Snakeweed." beaver
poison" ''muskrat weed" spotted
hemlock." and spotted parsley"
The plant grows in wet places aud
is especially common in some parts OF
the West along irrigatins bitches. It
has thickened rootstock with roots
which sometimes take the form OF a
group OF tubers. The cicuta is most
readily distinguished from plants Of
similar appearance growing under the
same conditions by the transverse
chambers in the rootstock. These can
be seen by making longitudinal sec,
tIon. Further description, except BY
botanical terms, is difficult, but the
circular mentioned presents illustra.
tiols that make recognition easier.
Only the root OF cicuta is poisonous.
Cases Of poisoning are more frequent
IN The spring, partly because the roots
are more likely to be noticed at that
TIME and partly because they appear
10 be more poisonous then than later
in the season. Occasionally stock find
the roots when they are washed out BY
high water in small streams. Farm
ers in their plowng sometimes bring
TO the surface considerable number
OF roots, and these are eaten by cattle,
with resulting sickness and death.
In cases OF the poisoning of human
beings The recognized treatment is to
give an efficient emetic, followed BY
CathartIc. Some form of opium may
be given to control the commissions
when they are violent. If free yomit-
ing is promptly produced, the patient
Is likely 10 recover.
1t is obvious that ruminant animals
can NOT be treated in this way, for the
efficient clearing of the stomach is
impossible. While hypodermic injec,
tons Of morphin may be used to aid
in controlling the commissions and
pursatiye may help in eliminating the
poison, ordinarily the commissions are
50 violent that nothing can be done for
the animal.
SO far as live stock are concerned.
about all that can be done must be
in the way of protection. If the land
is plowed where the plant grows, care
should be taken that no roots are left
where the stock can get them. Where
the plants grow in great abundance,
as they frequently do along irrisating
bitches, it is desirable 10 dig them out,
When this is done the roots should
not be left on the surface, but should
be destroyed. Ii is seldom that stock
are poisoned when grazing. unless