Is hemlock wood safe?
We’ve researched it and, yes, hemlock wood and bark is safe. The needles of some species can be toxic to some exotic birds, but our toys are meant for people and don’t have needles anyway. Traditionally, Eastern Hemlock was used for its medicinal properties: “Eastern hemlock contains tannins, which have been used commercially for the tanning industry, and may be responsible for some of its medicinal properties. The bark has astringent activity, and the leaves contain significant amounts of vitamin C. Traditionally, Eastern hemlock was used to treat digestive disorders, mouth/throat disorders, and diarrhea. Preparation methods for Eastern hemlock include steams, teas, ointments, and poultices.”(www.naturalstandard.com) You may be thinking of the poisonous hemlock PLANT (Conium maculatum) which is an herb that was used to kill Socrates!
