Hypericum is a family of plants that attracts my attention every time this time of the year comes. These days when the Sun is more proud, they show flowers that look a lot like it, upright. Of this family, the most familiar is the milazul, Hypericum perforatum. The multitude of their names tell us to what extent we are ours: milasites, milasilos, milasilos, eagles, weeds of plough, leaves skinny, bee herbs, licurus, licurusna, bigaro, herb of saints...

It is a medicinal herb of multiple uses: psychic asthenia and to treat depression, as tranquilizer, to heal wounds and cuts... It's good, yes, but it also knows it's very bad, it seems.

In America and Australia, they don't want to see it, because it's harmful to livestock, so it's declared as an invader. The cattle that eat this herb develop photosensitivity. In 1787 Cirillo mentioned it and called it “the fast poison of sheep.” In 1833, Hertwig emphasized the foraging relationship with the problem of animals. Throughout the twentieth century, the eyes of this chain have been proved: Ray 1914, Bhum 1941 and 1964, etc.

The disease is caused by the Hypericine component that has the miracle. All animals suffer little more: mares, sheep, and especially cows. After eating grass, it builds up on the animal's skin. When it's on the surface, sunlight causes damage. The allergy begins with a similar reaction, can die after inflammations in the eye, ear and mucus, until infections and unable to eat or drink. The process takes several weeks.

It has been calculated the time when it can cause the greatest damage, above fourteen degrees, when dry and hot, over seven in the afternoon. The worst time of the year is the area of Ekain, when the piles of flowers are forming. Beware of freshly cut sheep. The Arabs have no fondness for the white mares, and if the mare has any part of a clear color or devoid of pigment, they will darken it with tobacco juice or henna. In Taranto, in Italy, they had pure black sheep herds because of this damn plant. Of course, the miracle itself is a sun and loves the lands that contain lime. It doesn't like moisture or shadow.