country, has also been found in France to possess analogous properties. In 1815, according to Virey, a great variety of herbs grew up with the grain, in consequence of the wetness of the summer; and their seeds were thus subsequently mixed with the wheat and rye. Among these he particularizes the bitter-vetch as peculiarly noxious, because it produces so great weakness of the extremities, but especially of the limbs, that the individual trembles while standing, and totters when he walks, or even requires the help of stilts; and he adds, that horses are similarly affected, so as to become almost paralytic.[1]
The Cytisus laburnum, or laburnum tree, is another plant of the same family, which yields poisonous seeds. The whole plant is more or less deleterious. But it is chiefly the seed that has attracted attention hitherto.
I am not acquainted with any experiments relative to the action of the seeds on animals.—Its effects on man present considerable variety, and show that it is a true narcotico-acrid. In some instances they seem to have been purely narcotic. My colleague Dr. Traill has communicated to me two cases of this nature. In one of these, that of a child two years old, the first evident effects were sudden paleness and a fit of screaming, followed immediately by insensibility, and then by coldness of the whole body and lividity of the face; but vomiting having been induced by warm water and mustard, the seeds were discharged, the symptoms abated, and next day he was quite well. The other case was that of a boy who was left by his companions at Dr. Traill's door in a state of complete insensibility, with froth at the mouth and a feeble pulse. An emetic, administered immediately, brought up a large quantity of laburnum seeds; after which the pulse became firmer, and sensibility quickly returned.—Mr. North has briefly noticed a similar case of a child, who after eating laburnum flowers, was seized with paleness and twitches of the face, coldness of the skin, laborious breathing, efforts to vomit, and great feebleness of the pulse. But recovery took place after the flowers were vomited.[2]—In other instances the effects have been chiefly limited to an irritant action on the stomach and bowels. Dr. Bigsby of Newark informs me that a few years ago a little girl in his neighbourhood, in consequence of eating the seeds, was attacked with violent vomiting and purging, and became in other respects very ill, but recovered in forty-eight hours.—Most generally, however, the effects are partly irritant, partly narcotic. In 1839 Dr. Annan of Kinross communicated to me the case of a little boy, who in an hour after swallowing a small quantity of unripe seeds, was attacked with violent vomiting and ghastly expression of countenance, and then fell into a very drowsy state, from which he was constantly roused by shaking him and dashing cold water on his body. But for a month afterwards he continued subject to vomiting and diarrhœa.—Mr. Bonney of Brentford has related the particulars of eleven cases, which presented all the varieties of poisoning with the seeds. The
