Elegant biennial reaching a lengths of 2.5 m (8 ft). possesses bunches of white blooms, delicately split foliage, thin, red-speckled stalks, and seeds with beaded grooves. Hemlock has hypnotic and analgesic properties in very tiny doses, but in higher amounts, it can induce paralysis and death. It was once given as a therapy for epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, and Sydenham's chorea but is now seldom used. Severe cystitis has also been treated with hemlock.