The leaves and fruit of hemlock plant.
When used as a medication, hemlock is tranquilizing and an anti-spasmodic. However, when it is used in excessive doses, it paralyzes the centers of motion - rendering one immobile. Precisely speaking, the action of hemlock is directly opposed to the actions of strychnine and, therefore, hemlock has been suggested as a remedy for poisoning due to strychnine. It has also been recommended as an antidote for other poisons belonging to the class of Strychnine, in hydrophobia, tetanus and others. During the mediaeval periods, hemlock was blended with betony as well as fennel seeds to prepare a medication to cure mad dog bites. Owing to the strange sedative action of hemlock on the motor (motion) centers, the juice extracted from the leaves of this plant (Succus conii) is given as a medication to cure cases of unwarranted volatility of the nervous motor, for instance, epilepsy from dentition, teething in children, cramps, in the initial stages of paralysis agitans or shaking paralysis, severe mania, as well as in spasms of the gullet and the larynx and other similar cases. When hemlock is inhaled, it is believed to provide relief from cough in people suffering from asthma, bronchitis, whooping-cough and related ailments. When hemlock is being used as a medication, it is important to administer it very carefully, since internal use of the drug may result in narcotic poisoning, while any overdose of this medication may cause paralysis. When taken in large or poisonous dosages, hemlock results in total paralysis, with the patient suffering from speech loss. In effect, first of all the respiratory function is slowed down and it eventually stops functioning altogether resulting in death owing to asphyxia (a severe condition caused by absence of oxygen and surfeit of carbon dioxide in the blood resulting in extreme suffocation). Nevertheless, the mind of the patient continues to work or is not affect till the end. The description of the classical Greek philosopher Socrates, who was poisoned to death with hemlock, says that loss of awareness is one of the major symptoms of hemlock poisoning. However, the main action of hemlock is on the motor system that causes paralysis. In earlier days, it was thought that hemlock had an alternative impact in scrofulous disorders or major tuberculosis of the lymphatic glands, particularly those of the neck. In addition, Greek as well as Arabian medical practitioners generally used hemlock to treat slow developing tumours, swellings as well as joint pains. They also used hemlock to cure skin affections. Among the contemporary physicians, the 18th century Austrian physician Baron Anton von Storch was the first to draw attention of the medical community to use hemlock internally as well as externally for treating cancerous growths and other types of ulcers. He also highlighted the importance of using hemlock as a poultice or ointment, as he had found it to be an extremely important application to ease pain in such cases. When any individual suffers from hemlock poisoning, they ought to be aware that the antidotes include stimulants plus coffee, tannic acid, emetics of zinc or mustard and castor oil. If required, such patients may even be given artificial respiration. In case of hemlock poisoning, it is crucial to maintain the body temperature. Similar to several other noxious plants, when the hemlock plant is cut or dehydrated, much of its poisonous property is lost. In fact, the poisonous property of hemlock is not only volatile but can be dispersed easily. It is important to note that cooking the hemlock plant completely destroys its poisonous properties. In effect, the extremely unpleasant smell of fresh hemlock has actually prevented people from using this fatal plant as a vegetable. Nevertheless, like goats, quails and larks are known to consume hemlock without having any undesirable effects. However, when they eat hemlock, the flesh of these birds is steeped with poison and this makes them poisonous food for humans. While thrushes also consume the hemlock fruits with impunity, ducks are known to have been poisoned by hemlock.
The hemlock plant is indigenous to the central and southern regions of Europe and very common in the temperate climatic regions. Hemlock may be found growing naturally on stream banks, in moist hedgerows, on waste land and even on damp and rough pastures. The plant is very common in such places.
The most important element enclosed by the hemlock leaves is definitely the alkaloid coniine. If harvested at the appropriate time, the hemlock leaves contain alkaloid coniine to the extent of 2.77 per cent, while the average yield of this substance at other times is around 1.65 per cent. In its pure form, coniine is a volatile/ unsteady, monochrome, oily fluid. Coniine not only possesses poisonous properties, but also has a very bitter flavour. Its scent is extremely unpleasant, piercing and akin to that of a rodent. In addition to coniine, the hemlock leaves also contain conhydrine, methyl-coniine, ethyl piperidine, pseudoconhydrine, mucilage, unchanging oil as well as 12 per cent of ash. Although the fruits of hemlock too enclose the same chemical substances, compared to the leaves, they are richer in coniine content.