36 
about 3 inches long, and have a heavy odor. The seed pod isa dry, 
oval, prickly capsule, which, when quite ripe, bursts open and dis- 
closes four valves, containing numerous black, kidney-shaped seeds. 
(Fig. 27.) The seeds are ill-smelling when fresh, as is the entire plant. 
They are dull black, about one-sixth of an inch long, fiattened, 
wrinkled, and marked with small depressions. 
Parts used.—Both the leaves and seeds are medicinal. The leaves 
are collected at the time of flowering, the entire plant being cut or 
pulled up and the leaves stripped and dried in the shade. The 
unpleasant narcotic odor diminishes upon drying. The leaves are 
poisonous, cause dilation of the pupil of the eye, and are used prin- 
cipally: in asthma. 
Fre, 26.—Jimson weed (Datura stramonium L.). 
For the collection of the seeds the capsules should be taken from 
the plants when they are quite ripe, but still of a green’ color. The 
capsules should then be dried for a few days, when they will burst 
open and the seeds can be readily shaken out. These should now be 
carefully dried. The seeds like the leaves are poisonous and possess 
the same properties. 
Occasional cases of poisoning of children occur from eating the seeds 
of jimson weed and taking the flowers in their mouths. 
Imports and prices.—F rom 100,000 to 150,000 pounds of stramonium 
leaves (the name by which they are designated in the drug trade) are 
imported into this country annually, and about 10,000 pounds of seeds 
are imported. 
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