His thesis very thoroughly examined the historical literature and sought to differentiate between the ancient use of " Helleborus niger ", or black hellebore, and the medicinal uses of the " white hellebore ", botanically " Veratrum album ", both of which are poisonous plants.
12.
Black hellebore was the dominant purgative of antiquity, frequently prescribed for that purpose by Hippocrates, the father of medicine, in the fifth century B . C . It was said to be introduced by Melampus, with which he healed the madness of the daughters of Proteus, king of Argos.
13.
The black suit of armor then binds itself to Wormwood, as the play continues with Wormwood ( now as the Black Knight ), with the help of Black Hellebore, progressing through stage sets filled with hostile creatures, whom are often disembodied heads, other grotesque monstrosities, and wild animals.
14.
"Black hellebore " was used by the ancients in paralysis, gout and other diseases, more particularly in insanity . " Black hellebore " is also toxic, causing tinnitus, vertigo, stupor, thirst, a feeling of suffocation, swelling of the tongue and throat, emesis ( vomiting ), catharsis, bradycardia ( slowing of the heart rate ), and finally, collapse and death from cardiac arrest.
15.
"Black hellebore " was used by the ancients in paralysis, gout and other diseases, more particularly in insanity . " Black hellebore " is also toxic, causing tinnitus, vertigo, stupor, thirst, a feeling of suffocation, swelling of the tongue and throat, emesis ( vomiting ), catharsis, bradycardia ( slowing of the heart rate ), and finally, collapse and death from cardiac arrest.
16.
Although " Helleborus niger " ( black hellebore ) contains protoanemonin, or ranunculin, which has an acrid taste and can cause burning of the eyes, mouth, and throat, oral ulceration, gastroenteritis, and hematemesis, research in the 1970s showed that the roots of " H . niger " do not contain the cardiotoxic compounds helleborin, hellebrin, and helleborein that are responsible for the lethal reputation of " black hellebore ".
17.
Although " Helleborus niger " ( black hellebore ) contains protoanemonin, or ranunculin, which has an acrid taste and can cause burning of the eyes, mouth, and throat, oral ulceration, gastroenteritis, and hematemesis, research in the 1970s showed that the roots of " H . niger " do not contain the cardiotoxic compounds helleborin, hellebrin, and helleborein that are responsible for the lethal reputation of " black hellebore ".
