POISON IN FLOWERS.

Shannon News, 14 November 1924, Page 4

POISON IN FLOWERS.

AZALEAS AND TRUMPET FLOWERS. There are, it seems, among the flowers that bloom in the, spring those that carry with them the lurking danger of poison. A recent discussion on the. point at the Linnean Society in Sydney, has provoked an interesting correspondence through the columns of the press. It appears that an employee in the Botanic Gardens had been rendered temporarily blind by coming in contact with the sap from a broken branch of the plant known commonly as the trumpet flower, which produces large trumpet-shaped flowers of a creamy-white colour. It was stated that there was a danger of anyone coming in contact being rendered permanently blind. One of the speakers mentioned that the Government had determined to prohibit the planting of Iceland poppies, because the flowers poisoned bees. It was stated that the honey produced from azaleas was poisonous. 'Next the white oleander was brought* before the grave and sedate Linnean ; jury. Its sap was declared ihjurous not only to bees but also to animals and human beings.

The trumpet flower, which had been temporarily :forgotten, .was then called up for sentence. It was declared an undesirable alien,, that should be dug out and burned, as it was impossible to send it back to its native habitat, the West Indies. The poor trumpet flower was just about to hang its head, feeling that All the world was against it, when a doctor rushed into print, pro-, testing against the advice to dig it up and burn it, and questioning tjhe fact that it had ever produced blindness, even temporarily. The doctor says, however, that he had had the properties of the plant analysed by chemists, with interesting results. The chemists extracted an alkaloid which has similar properties to those of _ atropine (the alkaloid of bella-do'nna) and duboisine, drops, the doctor says, which are used daily by ophthalmic surgeons temporarily to paralyse the accommodation of the eye, -which do f not cause blindness, even temporarily,; much less permanently. Thus the trumpet flower has snatched a fresh lease of life from the Linnean despots.

superior in every phase of the game to Leicester. Nepia at full-back who has won a, great reputation, played a wonderful game. He wa s a delight to the spectators, whom he had “on the ieet” by his dashing and daring display, with magnificent and mighty, foot-work, and accurate long range lin e kicking. One dashing and desperate race clown the touch line in the last dying moments of this momentous game, from twenty-five to twenty-five,' piercing the defence like a circus clown through a paper hoop, was a wonderful exhibition; of individualism. Nepia is the most picturesque figure for the All Blacks on the field, and in his consistently sound and solid games with his distinctly unorthodox methods has created comparison with the giant of the first—-Bancroft, or Gamlin, at their best, with whom Nepia is now favourably compared. So Nepia is the most marvellous “discovery,’* of full backs of modern times. It was only at the last moment that Nepia was called in to take his position as fullback for the All Blacks against Leicester, as lie was being “spelled” consequent on an injury to his .right hand sustained in . the grilling game against Newport only - 24 hours before. Svenson was called upon to play full-back with Brown at, centre. Then, at the last moment, as stated, Nepia fielded full-back to repeat his wonderful games of Devon, Cornwall, Somerset, Gloucester, Swansea and Newport. The All Blacks’ three-quarter line, Lucas, Svenson and Steel, played great football, combining brilliantly in perfect passing rushes, only stopped by faulty fielding and consequent knocking-on in the most critical stages. Steel’s great try, in the first spell was a mighty effort of dashing individualism, the champion sprinter simply out-pacing the flying Tigerwings tearing terrifically down touch line to fend off a tackle to dash over with, a magnificent try. This effort of Steel’s and Nepia’s wonderful display were distinctive features of the game, which had 30,000 spectators “on their feet” thrilled with the display . Svenson played solidly, and certainly he is the most inspiring player in the whole of the All Black combination and promises to develop into a great scoring back. His magnificent try in the dying moments of' that memorable match against Newport, when the All .Blacks were threatened with final defeat, pulling the game practically “out of the fire,” was a wonderful effort, well deserving the high encomiums which it created Lucas played his best game to date,; bis stopping, side stepping and elusive swerving disconcerting the “Tigers’ to a degree. Nicholls, as was expected, is proving the brainy back of the team. His intelligent game at Swansea, again at Newport, and only in less degree owing to an injury, against Leicester, stamps him ,as worthy of his side. McGregor was bright and nippy at inside five-eighths, but his passing was not perfect. I hesitate to think, had McGregor got the ball out more Crequenty to Steel, what would have happened. At half-back, Dailey was dogged, dangerous, and at times, dazzling, though handicapped serito the hurt and distress of the side ously by virtue of the fact that the AH Blacks’ “scrumming” is not, by any stretch of reasoning, perfect, let alone effective. In truth the scrumming has been the real weakness of the AU Blacks’ game throughout aH the seven matches played to date on tour in general and the backs in particular, who, but for the cleverness of Dailey and th e intelligence of Nicholls have been playing themselves “sick for a straight ball from the scrum.