This is undoubtedly the true hellebore of the ancients. It is a native of the mountainous parts of Greece, Italy, Switzerland, and Russia. Those specimens which are cultivated in our gardens flower in July. The root is the only part employed in medicine, but every part of the plant is extremely acrid and poisonous. Upon the animal œconomy it acts as a violent cathartic and emetic; producing bloody stools, excessive vomitings, great anxiety, vertigo, tremors, sinking of the pulse, syncope, cold sweats, convulsions, and death. There are many cases on record, where such effects have followed the ingestion of this plant. _Helmont_ reports that a royal prince died in the course of three hours after taking a scruple of this poison, which induced convulsions; and _Vicat_[403] relates the case of a tailor, his wife, children, and workmen, who having taken soup, in which, through mistake, the root of white hellebore had been introduced instead of pepper, were seized with a universal coldness, and such extreme debility, as to become nearly insensible. At the expiration of two hours, the eldest child, who was not four years of age, began to vomit copiously, but with considerable straining; the rest were shortly after in the same condition. _Vicat_, who was called in at this critical period, ordered them to take a considerable quantity of warm water and oil; shortly after which he administered an infusion of mallow sweetened with honey; by which means, we are informed, they were relieved, and ultimately restored. According to the testimony of various physiologists, as well as from the experiments of _Orfila_, it appears that this plant, if externally applied, will produce the same effects. _Etmuller_ says, that the external application of the root to the abdomen will produce vomiting; and _Schroeder_ observed the same phenomenon to take place in a case where it was used as a suppository; the juice of the plant has been also applied to the purpose of poisoning arrows. It must, therefore, act by being absorbed into the circulating current, thereby destroying the energy of the nervous system. It accordingly finds a place in the second division of our classification. Late experiments upon this substance have shewn that its activity depends upon a peculiar alkaline principle, to which the name of _veratria_[404] has been given; and that it exists in native combination with an excess of gallic acid, (_super-gallate of veratria_). When taken internally, as a poison, the most effectual antidote is said to be a very strong infusion of nut-galls. BLACK HELLEBORE. _Melampodium._ _Christmas-rose._ (Polyandria Polygynia. _Nat. Ord._ Multisiliquæ, _Linn._ Ranunculaceæ, _Juss._)