[Veratrum album poisoning (author's transl)].

Ingestion of plant material rarely gives rise to manifest clinical intoxication. This is due to the relatively low toxicity of most of the poisonous plants of Central Europe. Veratrum album is an important exception on account of its highly toxic alkaloids. Seven cases of overt intoxication from veratrum album have been reported to the Austrian Poison Information Centre during the past 5 years. On the basis of these case reports toxicological and clinical aspects of this rare form of poisoning are discussed.