Please read this Licence carefully before installing this CD-ROM.
By installing 'Poisonous Plants and Fungi in Britain and Ireland' you are agreeing to be bound by the terms of this Licence. If you do not agree to the terms of this Licence promptly return 'Poisonous Plants and Fungi in Britain and Ireland' complete and undamaged to the place where you purchased it.
Limited Use Licence
The data, text, images and interfaces of 'Poisonous Plants and Fungi in Britain and Ireland' are owned by the Medical Toxicology Unit of Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital NHS Trust and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. The Identification Engine Software running 'Poisonous Plants and Fungi in Britain and Ireland' is owned by System Simulation Limited. All data, text, images and software are protected by copyright laws and international treaties. All rights not expressly granted are reserved by the owners.
YOU MAY:
* Install and use 'Poisonous Plants and Fungi in Britain and Ireland' on a single computer.
* Transfer ownership of the complete 'Poisonous Plants and Fungi in Britain and Ireland' package on a permanent basis to a third party provided that you retain no copies and the recipient agrees to the terms of this Licence.
YOU MAY NOT:
* Use 'Poisonous Plants and Fungi in Britain and Ireland' on more than one computer, terminal or workstation at the same time.
* Use 'Poisonous Plants and Fungi in Britain and Ireland' in a network or other multi-user arrangement.
* Make copies of the software, data or images except where provided for.
* Rent, lease, licence or otherwise transfer the Identification Engine or other software without the express written consent of the owners.
* Reverse engineer, decompile, disassemble, or create derivative works of the software.
WARRANTY AND DISCLAIMER
'Poisonous Plants and Fungi in Britain and Ireland' on CD-ROM is designed for use by non-botanists and non-mycologists as a guide to the most common poisonous plants and fungi found in the home, garden and countryside. 'Poisonous Plants and Fungi...' should never be used as a means of identifying non-toxic or edible plants or fungi. It is intended as an educational tool and is to be used for that purpose only. It must not be used when plant or fungus poisoning is suspected. In such cases, medical attention should be sought immediately. Follow the General Emergency Aid provided in the User Guide and in the Toxicity information for each plant and fungus, and remember to take a sample of the plant or fungus with you to your doctor or local hospital Accident and Emergency department. Please take precautions when handling a plant suspected of causing a skin or eye reaction.
Medical professionals may use 'Poisonous Plants and Fungi...' as a guide to the identification of those plants and fungi most frequently implicated in cases of human poisoning in Britain and Ireland. This CD-ROM should not be used to identify plants or fungi from or in any other country. Because many of the questions asked about the plants and fungi relate to the colour of the various parts it is important that 'Poisonous Plants and Fungi...' is not used by anyone who is colour-blind or if so then they must ask a non colour-blind person to answer any questions relating to colour.
'Poisonous Plants and Fungi...' is intended as a guide only and the content should not be relied on for diagnostic purposes. The user shall have full responsibility for the application of any information derived from this CD-ROM.
'Poisonous Fungi...' is the first computerised product to use an interactive key to identify a fungus poison syndrome using symptoms. In most cases of fungal poisoning the symptoms presented fall into one of eight categories, classified as poison syndromes. The questions asked to identify the poison syndrome are based on the most common signs presented by a symptomatic patient. However, the user should be aware of the limitations of using the questions to identify a poison syndrome. For example, the patient may not be presenting all the signs indicated in the question, and/or may be experiencing additional side effects.
The symptomatic diagnosis may be complicated further if the patient has ingested two or more different fungus species. For example, the early symptoms of gastrointestinal irritation may mask the characteristically long latent phase of amatoxin poisoning. Repeated ingestion of a fungus, or different fungi, over consecutive days may also confuse the diagnostic picture. Amatoxin poisoning should be suspected if the patient recovers from gastrointestinal irritation but falls ill again within 24 to 48 hours without repeated consumption of the fungus.
The plants and fungi included in 'Poisonous Plants and Fungi...' have been the subject of human poisoning case enquires received by the Poisons Information Service of the Medical Toxicology Unit or documented in the literature. Although some plants and fungi of relevance to animal poisoning are included in 'Poisonous Plants and Fungi...' this CD-ROM does not specifically address animal poisoning. Some plants and fungi that are poisonous to animals are not included and no information concerning toxicity in animals is given.
If a plant or fungus is not included in 'Poisonous Plants and Fungi...' you should not assume that it is non-toxic. Some potentially poisonous plants and fungi may not be included because they have not yet been implicated in human cases. As plants and fungi are often documented under a common name their true identity may be uncertain. In addition, the identities of many plants and fungi implicated in cases of poisoning are not usually confirmed by an expert and the scientific name of the plant or fungus remains unknown. Plants and fungi which are the subject of allergic reactions are not included in 'Poisonous Plants and Fungi...' unless the allergy is widespread in the population. Only plants and fungi that are specifically grown for food may be considered edible and even these may be poisonous if eaten in excessive quantities, or are inadequately prepared, or are spoiled due to bacterial contamination or age. All plants and fungi should, therefore, be considered potentially hazardous.
Identifications can only be made from fresh plant and fungus material. They will not be possible if the material is damaged, old, cooked or incomplete and should not be attempted from memory or pictures. 'Poisonous Plants and Fungi...' has not been designed for the identification of plant or fungus material in stomach contents.
Although the information contained herein is believed to be accurate, no guarantee or warranty, express or implied, is made to this effect. The Medical Toxicology Unit, Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital NHS Trust and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (the 'Authors'), exclude all liability for any injury, proceedings, claim, loss or damage arising from the use of 'Poisonous Plants and Fungi...' and from the use of any information it contains whether resulting from negligence on the part of the Authors or otherwise (except insofar as such exclusion is prohibited by law) and shall in no circumstances be liable for any economic, special, indirect or consequential losses. The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (the 'Publisher') publishes this database in good faith, but cannot warrant the accuracy of any information it contains, nor accepts liability for injury, loss or damage arising from its use.
Any conditions or warranties that would otherwise have been implied in respect of 'Poisonous Plants and Fungi...' or any part of it or the materials supplied with it under statute or otherwise are excluded (save to the extent prohibited by law).
Although every effort has been made to ensure that the software is working as it should, the Authors and Publisher do not warrant that its operation will be error free or that any defects can be corrected and shall not be liable for any damage to your software or computer that seem to result from using this product. The Publisher warrants to the original buyer only, that the CD-ROM disc shall be free from defects in materials and workmanship under normal use for a period of 30 days from the date of purchase. In the event of the product failing to operate through faulty CD-ROM materials or manufacture, the Publisher's liability in this respect shall be limited to replacement of those materials. This warranty is void if the failure of the CD-ROM has resulted from accident, abuse or misapplication.
Nothing in this warranty and disclaimer affects your statutory rights.
HAZARD WARNING
Some plants are irritant, allergenic or poisonous when handled. To protect yourself when examining plant material please wear gloves and when handling sappy plants or fruits wear safety goggles.
COPYRIGHT
Data, text, images, interfaces and packaging ⌐ Medical Toxicology Unit of Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital NHS Trust and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, 1995-2000
Identification Engine Software ⌐ System Simulation Limited, 1995
Microsoft Visual Basic Version 4.0 ⌐ Microsoft Corp., 1987-1995
InstallShield« Express Version 2.12 ⌐ InstallShield« Software Corporation, 1999
