. Bulletin of the Department of Agriculture. Agriculture; Agriculture. BULLETIN OF THE No. 69 â Contribution from the Bureau of Plant Industry, Wm. A. Taylor, Chief, and the Bureau of Animal Industry, A. D. Melvin, Chief. March 28, 1914. (PROFESSIONAL PAPER.). CICUTA, OR WATER HEMLOCK. By C. DwiGHT Marsh and A. B. Clawson, Physiologists, Drug-Plant and Poisonous-Plant Investigations, Bureau of Plant Industry, and Hadleigh Marsh, Veterinary Inspector, Bureau of Animal Industry. INTRODUCTION. HISTORICAL SUMMARY. Among poisonous plants the genus Cicuta is of especial interest, as it is proba
. Bulletin of the Department of Agriculture. Agriculture; Agriculture. BULLETIN OF THE No. 69 â Contribution from the Bureau of Plant Industry, Wm. A. Taylor, Chief, and the Bureau of Animal Industry, A. D. Melvin, Chief. March 28, 1914. (PROFESSIONAL PAPER.). CICUTA, OR WATER HEMLOCK. By C. DwiGHT Marsh and A. B. Clawson, Physiologists, Drug-Plant and Poisonous-Plant Investigations, Bureau of Plant Industry, and Hadleigh Marsh, Veterinary Inspector, Bureau of Animal Industry. INTRODUCTION. HISTORICAL SUMMARY. Among poisonous plants the genus Cicuta is of especial interest, as it is probably the most violently toxic of all the plants growing in temperate regions. Since the middle of the sixteenth century the genus has been definitely known, and the symptoms produced by it have been accurately described many times. Before that time, if recognized at all, it was not distinguished from Conium. The term Cicuta occurs frequently in Lathi literature, but without any doubt was used as the equivalent of the Greek Kcovswv. Whether the hem- lock used by the Greeks and Romans for the punishment of criminals and for suicidal purposes was an extract from a single plant or a com- pound extract of several plants, as thought by some, may never be known, but in any case it is evident that plants of the genus Cicuta as recognized to-day were not used. The symptoms produced by the hemlock are described in detail by Plato in connection with the death of Socrates and are very different from those produced by Cicuta. There seems to be little doubt that Conium was the principal constituent of the hemlock and perhaps the only substance used. Albert Kegel, 1876-77,^ has gone into great detail in discussing the history of the "hemlock" and "water hemlock," with copious quo- tations from ancient authors. Inasmuch as Cicuta is not found in any abundance in Greece and Italy, it may, perhaps, fairly be ques- tioned whether the Greeks and Romans had any knowledge of the
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