Ferdinand von Mueller

1

Letter not found. The text given here is from 'Our poison plants', Perth gazette and West Australian times, 6 November 1868, p. 2 (B68.11.01). This text is introduced by: ‘The following interesting letter from Dr. Mueller, has been received by the Colonial Secretary; we have often before urged the attention of country residents to the learned gentleman’s requests, a compliance with which would not only prove of benefit to their own interests, but also be some slight acknowledgement of the labor Dr. Mueller has for long past taken, to be able to give us a true account of the qualities of the natural vegetation of the colony.’

Melbourne Botanical Garden,

October 15,1868.

Since I last had the pleasure of writing to you, I have entered on the examination of some of the West Australian poison plants. In two instances the sheep experimented on have died; in several others they became very much affected, but did not succumb. In other cases again the plants proved harmless. Unfortunately my researches at the very commencement have almost come to a standing still, because the material placed at my disposal was so small, that only of one herb (

oxylobium cuneatum

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) a sufficiency remained to commence the very difficult and laborious chemical investigation. For corroborative trials and full elucidation of this difficult subject of organic poisons, I should receive at least several pounds' weight of each of the dry herbs, not counting the weight of the thick stalks, such as the sheep would not browse on. If now the West Australian settlers would only collect such quantities at the time when their pastoral animals are poisoned and from the very spot where the disaster happened, then full results would finally be obtained. In the two cases, in which the applied herb, had a deadly effect, the post mortem examination was carefully performed. But it required a very careful repeated examination to contrast all the symptoms and appearances well, which are caused by the different poison plants, of which ten at least exist in your colony, all endowed with more or less peculiarities in their effect.

It is a great pity also, that the settlers in your fine country for botanical pursuits, do not generally aid more in the elucidation of your native vegetation. The opportunities are generally rare, to see plants of a new country at once locally described and examined; and yet of the facilities which I offered, and which in this mortal world must be very transient, very few avail themselves. If only the plants, growing before the very doors of the settlers, and which by children could be gathered playingly within a few minutes, were dispatched to me in four ounce parcels by the post, pressed and dried of course, then the transit would not cost more than that of an ordinary letter; if only this was GENERALLY DONE ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, then we should soon become better acquainted with the distribution of the species over the territory. Even if I could re-visit Western Australia, it would be impossible for me to travel over all localities at all seasons.