Aconite goes by many names—Devil’s Helmet, Wolfsbane, Monkshood, blue rocket, woman’s bane, etc. To butcher a Shakespeare quote, “A poison by any other name would kill as quick.”
Until the 20th century, aconite was the deadliest of poisons.
Historical Case of Aconite Poisoning
In January 1856, the Provost of Dingwall hosted a dinner party. By some horrible case of mistaken identity (or perhaps not), a servant brought the cook monkshood instead of horseradish. The cook prepared the roast beef and accidentally poisoned the guests.
In all fairness, the Provost had horseradish and monkshood planted only 18’’ apart. I mean, who does that? Everyone knows a vice garden needs to be sectioned off with a gothic wrought iron fence, covered in moss and vines, and skulls and crossbones, right?! Right.
Interested in another poisonous tale? Check out the true story of Marie Lafarge.
The horrific mishap ended with the death of two Catholic priests and a laird (a Scottish person who owns a large estate). Others were terribly sick but survived. Curiously (or murderously), all the ladies were spared, as none ate the dish.
In a modern case of accidental aconite poisoning, Canadian actor Andre Noble died in 2004 after encountering aconite on a camping trip.
Monkshood or Wolfsbane Poisoning
Monkshood (or Aconitum napellus) was used to poison darts and arrows. Historically, it was used in small amounts to relieve rheumatism, numbing the affected area. In large quantities, however, it’d wipe you out. Monkshood is so poisonous that only one-fifth of the grain can cause death. Wolfsbane, another term for monkshood, was once used by the Greeks to poison their arrows to hunt wolves (hence the term wolfsbane).
The toxin in aconite attacks the central nervous system, the cardiovascular, and the gastrointestinal tract. Poisoning begins with numbness and tingling in the mouth. The arms and legs start to grow cold, and the skin feels like it’s on fire. Sights and hearing then begin to go, and convulsions begin. The pulse weakens, pupils dilate, and breathing becomes difficult until it ceases altogether. In as little as eight minutes from ingestion, the victim is dead.
Even today, aconite is a perennial that grows wild in parts of Europe and the United States (which may explain the Provost’s deadly garden situation). It’s easily mistaken as an edible herd, but all the parts of the plant are toxic. When handling aconite, gardeners need to wear gloves at all times. Survivalists have mistaken the white, carrot-like root as something that can be eaten.
