The effects of Vegetable Poisons on the human frame vary according to circumstances. The most usual are: that of disturbing the nervous function, producing vertigo, faintness, delirium, madness, stupor, or apoplexy, with a consequent loss of understanding, of speech, and of all the senses; and, frequently, this dreadful scene ends in death in a short period.
It is, however, fortunate that these dangerous plants, which either grow wild, or are cultivated in this country, are few in number; and it is not less so, that the most virulent often carry with them their own antidote, as many of them, from their disagreeable taste, produce nausea and sickness, by which their mischief is frequently removed; and when this is not the case, it points out that the best and most effectual one is the application of emetics: and it may be almost considered a divine dispensation, that a plant, very common in all watery places, should be ready at hand, which has from experience proved one of the most active drugs of this nature, and this is the Ranunculus Flammula, Water- Spearwort. The juice of this plant, in cases of such emergency, may be given in the quantity of a table-spoonful, and repeated every three minutes until it operates, which it usually will do before the third is taken into the stomach.
After the vomiting is over, the effects often remain, by part of the deleterious qualities being absorbed by the stomach; and as it often happens, in such cases, that medical assistance may not be at hand, I shall, under the head of each class, give their proper antidote, which should be in all cases applied as soon as possible, even before medical assistance is procured. And it should not be forgotten that, in dreadful cases where the medicine cannot be forced down through the usual channel, recourse should be had to the use of clysters.
Under each of the following heads I shall describe such cases as have come under my notice; as they may be useful for comparison: and shall put under each of the more dangerous the Plantae affines, describing as accurately as possible the differences.
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BITTER NAUSEOUS POISONS.
These are much altered by vegetable acids in general, and especially by oxymuriatic acid; but they still retain much of their poisonous quality, which appears to be rendered more active by alkalies. The tanning decoctions of nut-galls, acacia, and other strong astringents, Venice treacle, wine, spiritous liquors, and spices, are useful.
623. CHELIDONIUM majus. CELANDINE.—The yellow juice of this plant is extremely acrid and narcotic. It is not at all like any plant used for culinary purposes, and therefore there is not any great danger likely to arise from its being confounded with any useful vegetable.
624. CICUTA virosa. COWBANE.—Two boys and six girls, who found some roots of this plant in a water-meadow, ate of them. The two boys were soon seized with pain of the pericardia, loss of speech, abolition of all the senses, and terrible convulsions. The mouth closely shut, so that it could not be opened by any means. Blood was forced from the ears, and the eyes were horribly distorted.
Both the boys died in half an hour from the first accession of the symptoms.