POISONING BY EUPHORBIA.
In Europe euphorbia lathyris has been found to produce in animals, colic, constipation, tympany, followed by bloody diarrhœa, stupor and hæmaturia. In America the euphorbia corollata (large flowering spurge) and euphorbia ipecacuanhæ (ipecacuanha spurge) though less potent have a similar action. Treatment consists in favoring elimination by emesis, and abundant mucilaginous and demulcent agents.
POISONING BY BOX LEAVES.
The leaves of buxus sempervirens, used as a border in gardens, contains an acrid principle. After eating 1½ lb. a horse had colic, tympany and enteritis. After death the lesions of gastro-enteritis were found (Weiss). Treatment would be by stomach pump, laxatives, demulcents and anodynes.
POISONING BY DAFFODILS. (NARCISSUS POETICUS, AND NARCISSUS PSEUDO NARCISSUS).
These common denizens of gardens produce intense gastro-enteritis, profuse diarrhœa, spasms, stupor and weakness. Treatment will not differ materially from that advised in box poisoning.
POISONING BY RANUNCULUS.
The ranunculus acris (tall crowfoot), repens (creeping crowfoot), sceleratus (cursed crowfoot), and bulbosus (butter cup), are all more or less acrid and liable to produce gastro-enteritis when taken in quantity. They are usually avoided by animals but will sometimes be taken by accident with other vegetation. Sheep are said to eat ranunculus bulbosus with impunity (Daubenton). Both cattle and sheep suffered from the other species (Delafond, Lipp, Brugnone, Delplanque). There were salivation, colic, emesis in vomiting animals, diarrhœa, vertigo, spasms, grinding of the teeth, arched back and staring coat. Treatment would be emesis or the stomach pump when available, mucilaginous drinks and enemata. Johnson (Medical Botany of North America) had a herd of cows abort for years on a field thickly set with ranunculus acris, but which ceased to abort when removed to a field from which this weed was absent.
POISONING BY VERATRUM. VIRIDE. AMERICAN HELEBORE.
Used in the early days by New England farmers to destroy birds in the cornfields (Osgood). Taken internally it reduces the fullness and frequency of the pulse, and if the dose be large excites nausea, vomiting and purging with great prostration. In the horse I have found anorexia, irritability of the bowels, and frequent retching. The action is primarily on the heart and nervous system and incidentally as an irritant on the gastro-intestinal mucosa. Treatment consists in evacuation of the stomach and the free use of mucilaginous drinks and diffusible stimulants. Helleborus Niger, viridus and fœtidus have analogous effects.