WATER DROPWORT: A genus of the digynia order, belonging to the pentandra class of plants; and in the natural method ranking under the 4th order, Umbellatae. The florets are distempered; those of the distempered and barren; the fruit crowned with the calyx. There are five species; of which the most remarkable is the crocata, or hemlock dropwort, growing frequently on the banks of ditches, rivers, and lakes, in many parts of Britain. The root and leaves of this plant are a strong poison; several persons have perished by eating it through mistake, either for water-parsnips or for celery, which last it resembles pretty much in its leaves. So exceedingly deleterious is this plant, that Mr Lightfoot tells us he has heard the late Mr Christopher d'Ehret, the celebrated botanic painter, say, that while he was drawing it, the smell or effluvia only rendered him so giddy, that he was several times obliged to quit the room, and walk out in the fresh air to recover himself; but recollecting at last what might be the probable cause of his repeated illnesses, he opened the door and windows of the room, and the free air then enabled him to finish his work without any more returns of the giddiness. Mr Lightfoot informs us, that he has given a spoonful of the juice of this plant to a dog, but without any other effect than that of making him very sick and stupid. In about an hour he recovered; and our author has seen a goat eat it with impunity. To such of the human species as have unfortunately eaten any part of this plant, a vomit is the most approved remedy.
Lobel calls this vegetable ananthe aquatica cicuta fa-
It grows in great plenty all over Pembrokeshire, and is called by the inhabitants five-fingered root: it is much used by them in cataplasms for the felon or worst kind of whitlow. They eat some parts of it, but carefully avoid the roots or stalk. These indeed are of a most pernicious nature, and never fail to prove instantly fatal, unless a proper remedy is applied. The following instance, in addition to what has been said, of the effects of this plant on man, is given in the Gentleman's Magazine for July 1747:
Three French prisoners being in the fields near the town of Pembroke, dug up a large quantity of a plant with its roots (which they took to be wild celery) to eat with their bread and butter for dinner. After washing it, while yet in the fields, they all three eat, or rather only talked of the roots.
As they were entering the town, one of them was seized with convulsions. The other two ran and sent a surgeon, who endeavoured first to bleed, and then vomit him; but in vain, and he died presently.
Ignorant of the cause of their comrade's death, and of their own danger, they gave of these roots to eight other prisoners, who all eat some of them with their dinner.
A few minutes after, the two who gathered the plants were seized in the same manner as the first; of which one died: The other was bled, and an emetic with great difficulty forced down, on account of his jaws being fettered. This operating, he recovered; but was some time much affected with a dizziness in his head, though not sick, or in the least disordered in his stomach. The other eight, being bled and vomited immediately, were soon well.
This vegetable is so extremely like celery, and therefore, as in the above case, so apt to be mistaken for it, that it cannot be enough guarded against by all who have a proper regard for themselves. In the plate (see Plate CCCXLVII.), X is the shape of the root. a, The part cut off from the stalk. b, A branch taken from the bottom of the stalk, where the leaves are largest. c, A top branch with the umbels of flowers. d, An anterior view of the flower in its natural size. e, A posterior view of the same. f, The anterior appearance of the flower through a microscope. g, The posterior view of the same. h, A view of the rudiments of the fruit after the decay of the flower. i, The same magnified. A * The shape of a leaf of celery. B, A leaf of parsley.—These two are printed, to prevent any unhappy mistake in eating the poisonous plant instead of either. We have added to the figures of this dangerous plant these leaves of celery and parsley, which, as we have said, it greatly resembles, in order to show our readers how careful they ought to be in case of an accident because of this similarity.