Flora Medica

slightly revolute, about an inch long ;dark green, smooth and shiningabove ; paler, with a prominent midrib, beneath, terminating in a smallharmless point. Flowers axillary, solitary, each from a scaly imbricatedbud ;the barren ones light brown, white with abundant pollen: fertilegreen, resembling, with their scaly bracteas. a little acorn. Fruitdrooping, consisting of a sweet, internally glutinous, scarlet berry, openat the top, enclosing an oval brown seed, unconnected with the fleshypart. Smith. Leaves fetid, very poisonous, especially to horses andcows. Berries are not dangerous. Seeds said to be unwholesome.On the authority of an Italian physician it is stated that yew-leaves,when administered in small doses to man have a power similar to thatof Digitalis, on the action of the heart and arteries, reducing the circulation,and if persisted in too long, or given in too large doses, ascertainly fatal. Yew is however reported to have one decided advantageover Digitalis by its effects not accumulating in the systemso;that it is a much more manageable and more efficient remedy. Burnett.558