BULLETIN No. 161 OF THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES PUBLISHED BY HER ...

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BULLETIN No. 161 OF THE MINISTRY
OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES
PUBLISHED BY HER MAJESTY'S
STATIONERY OFFICE. PRICE 6s. 6d. NET
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II
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES
Bulletin No. 161
BRITISH
:POIS.ONOUS PLANTS
A. A. FORSYTH, M.R.C.V.S., D.V.S.M.
Veterinary Consultant to the Food and Agriculture Organization
. of the United Nations.
Formerly, Principal and Professor of Veterinary Surgery
in the Glasgow Veterinary College .
..
,
t"'\1~
, I
LONDON: HER MAJESTY'S STATIONERY OFFICE
1954
FOREWORD
POISONING BY PLANTS' is a subject which eng~ges the attention of
veterinarians, livestock owners and others all over the world, and records of
illness and deaths, attributed to this cause can be found in the literature of
most countries. The toxicity of some plants or parts of plants, when eaten
at certain stages of their growth, preservation or preparation, has been well
established as the result of experjence and actual experimentation. The
efforts of chemists have also, in some instances, detected and isolated the
actual toxic agents from the plants. There are, of course, some plants.
the toxicity of which still remains in doubt, and there are others, which!
though containing poisonous agents, are for various reasons unlikely to
give rise to troubles in livestock. Losses from plant poisoning cannot, of
course, be accurately estimated, because aotual records of illness and deaths
of animals are not normally kept and investigations into their causes are
not always carried out.
This bulletin, which supersedes BuHetin No. 75, Poisonous Plants on the
Farm (last published in 1938) has lbeen specially prepared by A. A. Forsyth,
M.R.C.V.S., D.V.SM., who was at one time Principal of the Glasgow
Veterinary College, and it can be accepted as a treatise oontaining most,
if not aB, of the availa'ble information about the effects on livestock of
plants known or reputed to be poisonous. The author has not only
combed the literature on the subject, but has included many interesting and
instructive personal observations.
The bulletin contains a fund of information, written largely in non
technical language and in a pleasing style, which will be of value to stock
owners and students in their day-to-day contacts with livestock and plants.
T. DALLING.
September, 1954.
First Published . . • October 1954
The Ministry does not accept responsibility for any of the
private or trade advertisements included in this publication
ii
AUTHOR'S PREFACE
IN WRITING British Poisonol1s Plants, I have borne in mind that human
poisoning by growing plants is as unusual in Britain as plant poisoning
of the domestic animals is commonplace. Although losses of live
stock from plant poisoning may be considerable, they are in reality
very small when compared with the enormous losses from this cause
sustained by many of the more recently developed countries. British
agriculture has been a model for the world for many centuries, and
tradition and folk-lore, as well as the development of scientific methods.
have played their part in ridding a large part of the country of such
noxious weeds as corn cockle and darnel. and of parasitic fungi like
ergot. Thus. the chances are remote of poisoning by them ever reaching
epidemic proportiqns, as sometin:tes happens in other parts of the world.
The only people fully equipped for the treatment of plant poisoning
in man and animals are the doctor and the veterinary surgeon respectively.
and whenever there is the slightest suspicion of poisoning there should
be no delay in summoning their aid. Most of the fatal cases begin
with the mildest of symptoms, and the chances of recovery lessen as
the hours go by. Wherever practicable in the text, first-aid treatment is
suggested, with simple remedies which are to be found in almost every
house and which. will not interfere with any medical or veterinary treat
ment likely to be prescribed later. It must be fully understood, however.
that none of these remedies can possibly take the place of professional
treatment.
The book is written primarily for the stockowner and country reader
in as simple language as possible, but as. technicalities have inevitably
crept in. a glossary has been appended to help in the better understanding
of them. Readers who are in doubt or difficulty over the identity of
plants should consult a,Flora, and for this purpose I recommend Flora
of the British Isles, 1952, A. R. Clapham. T. G. Tutin and E. F. Warburg
(Cambridge University Press).
For research workers and those who wish fo read further on any
poisonous plant or poison, a selection of suitable references is given
at the end of each botanical family. Some are in foreign languages
but most of them have a summary in English, French, or German, and,
in a few instances this is indicated. Most of the references given are
to work published subsequent to 1935. For reference to earlier work
or for deeper reading, the following text-books should be consulted:
Plants Poisonous to Livestock, 1924. H. C. LoNG. (Cambridge. University Press).
Lander's Veterinary Toxicology, 1942, J. A. NICHOLSON. (London. Bailliere.
Tindall, & Cox).
n.
Taylor's Principles and Practice of Medical Jurisprudence Vol. 1948, SYDNEY
SMITH, W. G. H. CooK & C. P. STEWART. (London. J. & A. Churchill Ltd.).
Bamford's Poisons: Their Isolation and Identification. C. P. STEWART. (London.
J. & A. Churchill Ltd.). .
The Plant Alkaloids, 1939. T. A. HENRY. (London. J. & A. Churchill Ltd.).
The Poisonous Plants in New Zealand, 1951, H. E. CoNNOR. (Bulletin 99, of the
Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Zealand).
j ii
18860 A2
Bentham & Hookers' Handbook of the British Flora, 1945, A. B. RENDLE. (Ashford.
L. Reeve & Co. Ltd.).
Pelican Books series, Common Wild Flowers, A. 153. 1945, More Common Wild
'Flowers, A. 180, 1948, and Uncommon Wild Flowers, A. 223. 1950, all by JOHN
HUTcmNSON. (Harmondsworth. Penguin Books Ltd.).
Poisonous Fungi, J. RAMSBOTIOM. (King Penguin Books).
Edible and Poisonous Pungi, 1952. (Bulletin No. 23 of the Ministry of Agriculture
and Fisheries, H.M. Stationery Office),
Des P/ontes Veneneuses, 1893, CH. CORNEVlN. (paris), has long been out of print.
A copy is kept in the library of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.
I have made free use of information culled from the above-mentioned
works. as well as from others too numerous to mention individually, and
I acknowledge it here rather than by repetitive reference throughout the
text.
1: am deeply indebted to Mr. S. G. Harrison, B.Sc., Senior Scientific
Officer, on the staff of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, for his willing
co-operation in checking botanical details and nomenclature and for his
many helpful suggestions, valuable contributions, and assistance in
correcting the proofs.
The illustrations are from photographs taken, whenever possible, of the
plants growing in their natural habitat. The author's thanks are due to
Dr. F. N. Howes. Keeper of Museums at the Royal Botanic Gardens,
Kew, for his suggestions and help in obtaining them. and to Messrs.
Flatter-s and Garnett Ltd. of Manchester, who have supplied many
of them, not without trouble to themselves.
The many departments of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries,
and the Commonwealth Bureau of Animal Health, have placed their
vast resources of material and l~brary facilities at my disposal; and in
particular, Mr. H. Dodds, the librarian of the Ministry's Veterinary
Lalboratory at Weybddge, has shown the greatest kindliness and good
will in producing the most obscure volumes at a moment's notice.
Between them, the Librarians of the Ministry, of the Royal Society of
Medicine, and of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons have provided
a veritable mountain of reading matter which has been almost unbelievable
in j,ts compass, and world-wide in its origin.
Especial thanks are due to Dr. A. W. Stableforth, D.Se., M.R.C.V.S.,
Director, and the staff of the Ministry's Veterinary Laboratory at
Weybridge for allowing me facilities for much of my work, and to Sir
Thomas Danin~ D.Se., M.A., F.R.C.V.S., formerly the Ministry's Chief
Veterinary Officer, for the keen interest he has taken at all stages in the
progress of this work. and for writing the Foreword.
A. A. FORSYTH
ACKNOWLEDGMENT Of ILLUSTRATIONS
The illustrations comprising Plates 1, II, Ill, IV, V, VI and VIll were reproduced from
photographs supplied by Messrs. Flatters and Garnett Ltd., Plate VII and the Frontispiece
were reproduced from photographs supplied by the alIthor.
iv
CONTENTS
Page
ABOUT POISONOUS PLANTS 1
Plant Names-Susceptibility to Poisonous Plants-Food Plants
which are Poisonous-Individual Reactions and Allergies-Why
Everyone Does not Die of Poisoning-Addiction, and Craving
fOf Poisonous Plants-Poisoning by Trees and Shrubs-Poisoning
by Evergreens-Poisoning by Plant Roots-Variations in the
Poisonous Properties of Plants- Poisonous Plants Eaten in
. Mistake for Others-Poisonous Plants in Medicine.
THE PLANT POISONS . 6
Volatile Oils and Acrid Substances~Glycosides-Plant Alkaloids
Photo-dynamic Substances and Photo-sensitization-Phyto-
• toxins-Mineral Poisons-Deficiency Diseases and Oxalates
Sweet Clover Disease.
ABOUT PLANT POISONING. 10
Irritants-Selective Poisons-Nervous or Central Nervous Action
of Poisons-Direct Action of Poisons-Elimination of Poisons
from the Body-Cumulative Poisons.
ABOUT POISONED ANIMALS ] 1
Sudden Death-Salivation-Vomiting-Abdominal Pain or Colic
Emptying the Stomach of Poisons---Irritant Poisons, Treatment
with Demulcents-Diarrhoea-Constipation-Convulsions or
Fits~Cessation of Rumination or " Loss of the Cud "-Anaemia
and Debility.
POISONOUS PLANTS 17
Dicotyledons
Ranunculaceae Ranunculus Family 17
Papaveraceae Poppy Family 24
Cruciferae Crucifer Family 16
Caryophyllaceae Pink Family . . 31
Hypericaceae St. John's Wort Family . 33
Ltnaceae Flax Family . 33
Celastraceae Spindle Tree Family 34
Rhamnaceae Buckthorn Family 35
Papilionaceae Peaflower Family . 36
Rosaceae Rose Family .40
Cucurbi taceae Gourd Family 41
Umbelliferae Umbellate Family 42
Ara/iaceae Aralia Family 46
Compositae Composite Family 47
Ericaceae Hea th Family 50
Oleaceae Olive Family 51
v
18860 A3
Page
DicotyJedons-(c ontinued)
Solanaceae Solanum or Nightshade Family 52
Scrophuiariaceae Scrophularia Family 59
Chenopodiaceae Goosefoot Family. 61
Polygonaceae Polygonum Family 66
Thymeleaceae Daphne Family 69
Euphorbiaceae Spurge Family 70
Buxaceae Box Family . . 75
Fagaceae Beech and Oak Family 76
Coniferae Pine Family . 78
M<lllocotyledon5
Araceae Arum Family 81
lridaceae Iris Family . 82
Armaryllidaceae Amaryllis Family 83
Dioscoreaceae Yam Family. 83
Liliaceae Lily Family . 84
Juncaceae Rush Family 87
Gramineae Grass Family 88
Equisetaceae Horsetail Family 92
Polypodiaceae Fern Family 93
MOULDS AND ERGOT 96
THE LARGER FUNGI 96
SUSPECTED PLANTS 101
PLANTS WHICH AFFECT MILK . 103
GLOSSARY 107
INDEX 110
vi