tions, but was resorted to by those who sought to encounter suicide in its least formidable shape. Among other instances, that of the Cean old men is related by Ælian, who when they had become useless to the state, and tired of the infirmities of life; invited each other to a banquet, and having crowned themselves as in celebration of a joyous festival; drank the Conium, and terminated their existence together.

The description which has been left by Dioscorides of the Conium, only shews it to have been an umbellate plant, his character of which might apply to many species. The mention made of it by Latin writers under the name of Cicuta are not more satisfactory. Linnæus, influenced by the noxious character of the modern officinal Hemlock, has appropriated to that plant the name of the Grecian species, and most subsequent botanists have followed his example. Haller, however, is of opinion that the ancient poison was not procured from this plant, but from the Cicuta virosa L. a poisonous aquatic, much more powerful and violent in its operation than the common Hemlock. Lamarck adopts the opinion of Linnæus, and believes that the Conium maculatum was really the Grecian poison, and that its properties were rendered more active by the

heat of the climate in which it grew. Guersent supposes that the poisonous draught used by the Greeks was not the product of a single species, but a compound prepared from several plants.

Were it not for the tranquillity and which attended death from the ancient hemlock, and which Plato has described with interesting minuteness, there would not have been much difficulty in supposing the Grecian plant to be the same with that known at the present day. [Note H.] It appears that a large quantity was requisite to insure death. The poison was swallowed in the crude juice, recently expressed from the plant. Of this the draught taken by Phocion was large enough to cost twelve drachmæ.* Socrates was prevented from making a libation of a part of the contents of his fatal cup, by being told that the whole was necessary to produce the consummation of his sentence. A large quantity of the modern hemlock might probably have been equally fatal, though with more violent symptoms than those which, if Plato be correct, were experienced by the Athenian philosopher.

The plant, represented in our plate, undoubtedly came to us from Europe. It is now sufficiently common in the United States, about road

Plutarch, Life of Phocion.

sides and in waste ground, especially in those parts of the country which have been longest settled. It is usually found in bunches, and attains the full height of a man. It flowers from June until the arrival of frost.

The very natural order, called Umbellatæ by Linnæus and Umbelliferæ by Jussieu, to which this plant and the following one belong, is found in the class Pentandria and order Digynia of the Linnæan artificial method.

The genus Conium of Linnæus has both general and partial involucres, the latter being halved. The fruit roundish and furrowed.

The species maculatum has the fruit unarmed with the ridges undulated.

Its more complete description is as follows. Root biennial, somewhat fusiform and generally branched. Stalk round, very smooth, striated, hollow, jointed, and more or less marked with purplish spots. Leaves two or three times pinnate, of a very bright green, with long, sheathing petioles inserted on the joints of the stem; the leafets pinnatifid and toothed. Flowers in terminal umbels, the general involucre with half a dozen lanceolate, reflected leafets, the partial involucre with three or four situated on the outside. Flowers very small, white. Petals five, oval with their

points inflexed. Stamens five, spreading, about the

length of the corolla.

reflexed outwardly.

Germ inferior. Styles two

Fruit roundish-oval, com

pressed, ribbed, the ribs being transversely wrinkled or crenate; separating into two oblong-hemispherical seeds.

Hemlock when fresh has a strong nauseous odour and taste. If the green leaves are distilled, the water which collects in the receiver has an insupportably nauseous taste, while that which remains in the retort is comparatively insipid. This circumstance, and likewise the fact that the dried leaves become inert by age and exposure, render it probable that the chief medicinal efficacy resides in a volatile portion of the plant. Of the more fixed ingredients of Hemlock, a variety of analyses have been made. The most recent which I have met with is that of Schrader, who from a thousand grains of the plant obtained the following substances. Extractive 27.3-Gummy extract 35.2-Resin 1.5-Albumen 3.1-Green fæcula 8. He also detected various earthy and alkaline salts. These however are found to vary according to the soil in which the plant grows. The volatile portion, which I obtained in water distilled from the leaves, did not exhibit any essential oil, and effected no change in the colour of litmus. It

was not altered by sulphate of iron nor acetite of lead.

The Conium maculatum is a narcotic poison, though not of the most powerful kind. Instances of fatal effects from it have been recorded by Dr. Watson in the Philosophical Transactions, and by several other writers. A remarkable case of this sort, which occurred in Spain, is cited by Orfila in his Traité des poisons. But there is scarcely any narcotic plant respecting the character of which such various and opposite testimony has been adduced by medical writers. Even the experiments of the same individual are apt to present different results from its use, unless great care be taken in the collection and preparation of the medicine. The truth is, the plant varies exceedingly at different ages, and in different places of growth, and the strength of its preparations is greatly influenced by external circumstances.

When the green leaves of a mature plant which has grown in the sun, or the juice of these leaves, either crude, or properly inspissated, is taken into the stomach; the following symptoms, if the quantity has been sufficient, will rarely fail to take place; viz. a dizziness of the head and nausea of the stomach, a sense of fullness in the eyes and diminished power of vision, together with