_Symptoms._ The action of this plant on the animal organism is not yet clearly known, but it is stated to have marked emetic and purgative action. Taken in moderate quantities a period of retardation of the heart and lung action is followed by a period in which the heart action is intermittent, and there are stoppages in respiration, and vomiting. Taken in large quantities, the first of these periods is extremely short, the pulse soon becomes rapid and small, respiration is quickened, and the heart action ceases (Cornevin). Pott observes that the leaves cause stupefaction, convulsions, and death after a few hours in the case of _geese_. He cites a case in which ten _fowls_ ate the leaves and nine died. REFERENCES. 52, 73, 76, 81, 190, 203, 205, 213. =Meadow Saffron= (_Colchicum autumnale_ L.). The Meadow Saffron, Autumn Crocus, or Naked Ladies, as it is variously named, occurs in meadows in many districts in England and Wales. All parts are poisonous, both in the green state and when dried, as it possibly may be, in hay. It has caused extensive losses of live stock, and the greatest care should be taken to eradicate it from grass land. The leaves and seed-vessels are produced in spring, and the flowers from August to October—and it is at these two periods that cases of poisoning by this plant are most frequent, though, as stated, it may be included in hay. Many horses, cattle, and pigs have been killed by Meadow Saffron, though cattle commonly avoid it. Sheep and goats are believed to be very slightly affected. Children and fowls died at Schorren (Canton Berne) from eating the seeds, and there have been many cases of human poisoning due both to eating the seeds and the bulbs. In Staffordshire, Mr J. C. Rushton reported some years ago[4] that in one year a farmer lost seventeen milking cows; in 1908 he lost seven calves; and in 1909 he lost a number of sheep and cows. It was then discovered that the field in which the animals grazed contained “any quantity of Meadow Saffron and Water Hemlock,” and this was the cause of the losses. Horses and cattle are more commonly poisoned than other domesticated animals. Johnson and Sowerby record the case of a woman who ate the corms in mistake for onions at Covent Garden, and died; and state that deer and cattle have been killed by the leaves. Kanngiesser notes that this species is the most toxic of German plants, and that in cases of human poisoning the mortality is 90 per cent., children being chiefly affected. Cornevin’s experiments showed that 8 to 10 grammes of green leaves per kilogramme of live weight—say 3 to 5 lb. for an average cow—was sufficient to kill ruminants; while 30 centigrammes of corms per kilogramme of live weight sufficed to kill pigs—say 4½ oz. for a pig of 200 lb. live weight. Barret and Remlinger (_Veterinary Journal_, 1912, p. 306) record the sudden illness of 31 out of 51 cattle, and 5 of them died. Footnote 4: