THORN APPLE. 29 
fers no change. Water distilled from the plant 
has the sensible qualities in a slight degree, but 
does not seem to possess the medicinal powers of 
the plant. Dr.S. Cooper, in a valuable disserta- 
tion on this plant, says, that an ounce of the dis- 
tilled water was taken into the stomach with little 
or no effect. The same gentleman states, that 
upon evaporating the infusion of Stramonium, he 
observed a large number of minute crystals, re- 
sembling particles of nitre. Thinking it possible 
that these might be something analogous to the 
crystals, said to be obtained by Derosne from opi- 
um, and by him denominated the narcotic princi- 
ple, I repeated the experiment by carefully evap- 
orating separate decoctions of the green and dri- 
ed leayes. No crystals however were discoyera- 
ble at any stage of the process, either to the 
touch, or to the eye assisted by a strong magni- 
fier. 
The forms in which the Stramonium is prepar- 
ed for use are the powder, the inspissated juice, 
the extract, the tincture and the ointment. The 
powder should be made as soon as the plant is 
dry, and kept in close stopped bottles.—The in- 
spissated juice is made by compressing the bruis- 
ed leaves in a strong bag, until the juice is forced 
out, This is to be eyaporated in flat vessels at 
