BOTANIC MATERIA MEDICA, 45 
brown colorinclined to gray, and much wrinkled 
externally. The color internally is decidedly 
lighter. It has little or no odor, but a sweet- 
bitter taste, and persistently acrid. The root 
as found in the stores is from 4 tox inch (12 to 
25 millimeters) in diameter, and in various 
lengths; irregular in shape, and when cut or 
broken shows many woody, yellow fibres and a 
number of medullary rays, diverging from a 
central pith. Very woody specimens of the root 
should be thrown aside as unfit for medicinal 
use. The constituents of belladonna are resin, 
gum, and atropine its active principle and a 
small per cent of 2 alkaloids, atropamine and 
belladonine. The latter occurs as a white crys- 
talline powder, soluble in water, ether, chloro- 
form, and alcohol. Atropine yields tropic acid 
and ¢ropina. Both the root and the leaves con- 
tain the active principle; both are officinal, and 
are made into extracts, plasters and tinctures. 
The medical properties of belladonna are diu- 
retic, narcotic, and antispasmodic. The dose of 
the solid extract is from % to 1 grain (0.03 to 
0.06 grams); of the fluid extract, 2 to 8 drops 
(0.12 centigrams to % gram); of the tinctures, 
5 to 15 drops (0.20 to 1 gram); of the atropia 
pure, from ;4, to y}, of a grain. Owing to the 
peculiarities of some persons belladonna and 
its preparations should be given cautiously, and 
then only under the éye of the physician, as I 
have known cases where one milligram was em- 
ployed with unfavorable results. 
Berberis Vulgaris, Common Barberry.— 
Natural order Berberidacee. This perennial 
shrub is native to Europe and the western por- 
