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Ko. 52. KTOSCIAMUS. S57 



little danger of using it inadvertantly. The whole 

 plant, roots and leaves, produce the usual effects of 

 narcotics. It blossoms in June and July. The seeds 

 are said to have the property of keeping long under 

 ground, and germinating w^henever brought to light. 

 Qualities — The taste is insipid, slightly acrid and 

 mucilaginous; but the smell is virose, rank, strong, 

 fetid, pernicious and narcotic, which, however, is lost 

 by exsiccation : when burnt it smells like Tobacco. 

 It contains resin, mucilage, extractive, gallic acid, 

 nitrates and other salts, besides Hyosciam an alka- 

 line and crystalline active principle, which does not 

 decompose by red heat. Yet decoction is said to de- 

 stroy the narcotic power of this plant, water and di- 

 luted alcohol extract it. 



PROPERTIES — Narcotic, phantastic, phrenetic, 

 anodyne, antispasmodic, repellent, discutient, &c. 

 Tiie whole plant ma v J>e used; butjhe seeds contain 

 more Hyosciam. Externally the bruised leaves are 

 employed in cataplasm or an ointment made of them : 

 while internally the extract and tincture are chiefly 

 used. The extract ought to be made with the inspis- 

 sated juice without boiling, the doses are from one to 

 ten o^rains. This plawt operates as a powerful narcotic, 

 andlf taken in large doses, it produces drowsiness, 

 intense thirst, anxiety, head ache, irregular hard pulse, 

 vertigo, intoxication, delirium, dilatation of the pupil, 

 difficulty of breathing, aphonia, trismus, coma, a fall- 

 ing sensation, risus sardonicus, double vision or blind- 

 ness, convulsions, apoplexy, loss of speech, cold ex- 

 tremities, blue face, typhomania, carphologla, gan- 



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