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.
The American water hemlock is an energetic poison acting not only as a narcotic but as a violent irritant to the gastro-intestinal mucus membrane.
This agent expends its energy mainly on the digestive and urinary systems. The symptoms are suppression of appetite and rumination, thirst, ptyalism, grinding of the teeth, colic, emesis in vomiting animals, profuse, watery fœtid and often bloody diarrhœa, the frequent passage of a clear urine, abortion in pregnant females, with short difficult breathing, weak pulse, pale mucosæ, coldness of the extremities, trembling, muscular weakness, sunken eyes, dilated pupils, spasms and death. The activity of the plant is greatest in July and August. On post mortem examination the gastric and intestinal mucosa are violently congested and the lumen of the bowel filled with a thin bloody mucus. Congestion of the kidneys and bladder is usually present.
Treatment. Evacuation of the stomach, and abundance of demulcents.