MORNING GLORIES

Do you know why Morning Glories are described as poisonous? Probably not if you are of my generation or equally naïve. Apparently it is widely known that the seeds of Ipomoea tricolor are easily brewed into a home-made hallucinogenic drug with similar effects to that of LSD. Ask Jeeves or go to your favourite search engine and you will find full instructions; where to buy seeds in bulk, how to grind, infuse and filter the brew. Easy as making coffee.Best known and most readily available varieties are, Heavenly Blue and Pearly Gates, should you care to know the colour of the crack of dawn flowers. If you think that you might enjoy a light fantastic trip, this could be just your cup of tea. Not for me thank you very much.

You will not learn any of this from Sick Kids’ Hospital publication “Information for Families – Plant Safety”. The promise in the pamphlets' title is unfulfilled since they provide no information whatsoever. We are told only that it is a plant ‘known to be poisonous to humans’. Since all of the plants on their list are questionable including many that should be blameless and the rest need rescuing from superstition, misunderstanding and gross exaggeration that I wonder if families find any value in it.

My constant criticism is the use of the word ‘poisonous’ without a modifier of any kind. It would be helpful to know if the plant toxins were deadly, mildly or slightly poisonous or if in fact it is an allergen which affects some but not others. Perhaps the plant effects are dermatological when it should be termed a skin-poison. There is a good modifier. Some explanations would be useful such as, ‘very unlikely to cause accidental poisonings but must be intentional and self-afflicted, usually resulting from people seeking an intoxicating ‘high ‘from ornamentals like Jimson Weed , Morning Glory or the prohibited Marijuana. This could be put more briefly as ‘Poisonous if misused’.

              “All substances are poisons; there is none which is not a poison.

              The right dose differentiates a poison …”           
Paracelsus (1493-1541)

The dose makes the poison. The Hospital pamphlet does say, ‘Some of these plants will not cause serious poisoning unless a large amount is eaten’. They could admit that a large amount might mean consuming by the bushel or tying someone down and force-feeding them.

Telling a concerned parent that Delphiniums, Lupins and Morning Glories are poisonous demonstrates a complete lack of any understanding of plants and of people. One might as well aggravate a sworn teetotaller by pointing out that there is alcohol in bread; which there is but not so that it is a matter of any importance or worth mentioning.