Aconite (Aconitum napellus), Monkshood, or Wolfsbane, 1856. 'Mr. Maciver [of Dingwall in Scotland], had a private dinner party, consisting of [four gentlemen]... and several ladies. After dinner Mr. Gordon complained of a parched mouth, and he and Mr. McDonald, who felt the same inconvenience, retired to the drawing-room...medical aid was called for; but the two priests, after violent vomiting and other painful symptoms of poisoning, expired. Mr. Mackenzie also died...This calamity is attributed to the ignorance of a servant. It appears that the cook had had orders to serve up horseradish with the roast beef at dinner, and directed a young man-servant where to find the root in the garden. Instead of bringing horseradish, however, he had dug up the root of monkshood - a most poisonous herb, which was thus incautiously grated down and added to the sauce used with the roast beef'. From "Illustrated London News", 1856.
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