Hemlock Poison (Essay Question)?
I have an essay to write and one thing i need to know is if Hemlock (the toxic plant) is still used or was it only used in the times of Socrates who was poisoned by it.
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Poison hemlock is a member of the parsley family. All parts of the plant are poisonous. Animals usually avoid it if there are other plants to be eaten. Children can die from whistles made of the hollow stems.
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poison hemlock, lethally poisonous herbaceous plant (Conium maculatum) of the family Umbelliferae (parsley family). It has rank, finely divided foliage, flat-topped clusters of small white flowers, and a hollow, purple-mottled stem. Although native to the Old World, it is now naturalized and common in parts of the United States. The poisonous principle (the alkaloid coniine) causes paralysis, convulsions, and eventual death. Poison hemlock was used in ancient Greece in executions; a famous example was the philosopher Socrates. The related water hemlock (any species of Cicuta) is similar in appearance and as poisonous. C. maculata, called also musquash-root, spotted cowbane, and beaver poison, is the common species of E North America. The evergreen trees called hemlock are unrelated. Poison hemlock is classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Magnoliopsida, order Apiales, family Umbelliferae.
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5 years ago
I agree with Harold about what poison hemlock looks like. Pretty easily distinguished by the coloration of the stem. Also its tendency to be quite tall – 4 – 8 feet. But in Northern California it is by no means restricted to canals and ditches. It’s common all over, including some pretty dry places.
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The plant is still around, but I doubt you can buy it in your local garden center! The only ones using it to kill other people are murderers.
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look here:
http://www.ansci.cornell.edu/plants/toxicagents/piperidi.html
apparently it can be a danger to stock…
Elizabeth- your statement is tautologous.
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