On the distinctive characters of the roots of aconitum napellus (monkshood) and cochlearia armoracia (horse-radish) / by Robert Bentley.

  • Bentley, Robert, 1821-1893.
Date:
1856
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On the distinctive characters of the roots of aconitum napellus (monkshood) and cochlearia armoracia (horse-radish) / by Robert Bentley. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    MONKSHOOD. HORSE-RADISH. Conical in form, and tapering percep- Slightly conical at the crown, then tibly to a point. cylindrical, or nearly so, and almost of the same thickness for many inches. Coffee-coloured, or more or less brown- White, or with a yellow tinge, ish, externally. Odour merely earthy. Odour especially developed upon scrap- ing, when it is very pungent and irritating. Bitter or sweet according to circum- stances, and very pungent. Taste at first bitter, but afterwards producing a disagreeable tingling and numbness. The roots of monkshood and horse-radish may be also distinguished by the different appearances they present when scraped with a knife. Thus the former will then be observed to be of a succulent character, and the scraped portions soon to acquire a pinkish or reddish hue, whilst the latter scrapes firm and dry, and does not alter in colour. From the above description of the roots of monkshood and horse-radish, it will be seen that instead of resembling each other, as is commonly supposed, they have scarcely any appearance in common, presenting evident and well- marked distinctive characters in their form, general appearance, colour, odour, and taste. The only resemblance between the two roots, and this but a slight one, is in the appearance of their crowns, but even supposing it possible to mistake them so far, the other characters of distinction are so well marked, that no difficulty ought to arise in distinguishing between them. Such being the case with these roots, I thought it possible that some other species or varieties of the genus Aconitum might possibly resemble horse-radish root; and as many varieties are commonly cultivated in our gardens, and as these frequently possess similar poisonous properties to monkshood, although more feeble, their substitution would equally account for the fatal accidents that have occurred. I have accordingly obtained from the Gardens of the Koyal Botanic So- ciety in Regent’s Park the roots of twelve other kinds of aconite, specimens of which are now on the table. They are as follows:—Aconitum Japonicum^ A. Sinense, A. cceruleum^ A. Akermannii^ A. paniculatum^ A. pyrenaicum^ A. ochroleucum, A. neomontanum^ A. uncinatum, A. Cammarum^ A. Pallasii^ and A. Lycostonum (see figs. 5, 6, 7, 8). It will be seen that the roots of all these species or varieties which are commonly cultivated in our gardens, resemble more or less that of the Aconitum Napellus (monkshood) in their colour and general appearance, the only difference between them and it consisting in the fact that some of them present a roundish or irregular knobbed root instead of a conical one ; so that it would be even more easy to distinguish them from horse-radish. Besides the above species, the roots of a number of others have been examined by me with the same result. The distinctive characters between the various species of aconite and horse- radish roots being therefore so evident, it seems most extraordinary that a cook could by any possibility confound them; for in preparing them for the table, one could not but observe the difference in colour, form, and odour. I should think it quite as reasonable if any one were sent into the poultry-yard for a fowl that they should bring a duck, or even a turkey, for the substitution in this case would not be anything more remarkable than that one should confound monkshood root with that of horse-radish. There is this difference, however, in the two cases. Thus, persons are taught by observation and education the distinctive characters of our domesticated animals and birds; whilst in regard to substances derived from, or parts of plants, they are totally ignorant, although ignorance in the latter case is attended with far more injurious consequences than in the former, leading as it does frequently, as we have seen, to distressing and fatal accidents. Let us hope, therefore, that the time is not far distant when such knowledge will be considered as essential, and will accordingly form a branch of the education of the young, whatever be their rank or station. Till so desirable an end can be arrived at, we must do our best by the aid of Museums, such as those of the Pharmaceutical Society,^ of Kew, and of the Royal Botanic Society of London, to give as much information as we are able by the exhibition of vegetable substances and parts of plants, in common use in the arts, manufactures, and domestic economy.