BOTANIC MATERIA MEDICA, 181 
ovules ; fruit a capsule, which opens trans- 
versely by a common lid, containing many 
small black seeds; calyx five-toothed and fun- 
nel form, like the corolla. Henbane is anodyne, 
hypnotic and narcotic in its effects, and poison- 
ous in overdoses. It has the power of dilating 
the pupil of the eye. Dose of the powdered 
seed or leaves 5 to 10 grains (0.33 to 0.65 grams); 
of the extract and abstract 1 to 2 grains (0.06 to 
0.13 grams), which may be increased. Dose of 
the tincture, from a half to one fluid drachm., 
The officinal preparations are the abstract, alco- 
holic extract, tincture, and fluid extract. As 
I have said before the leaves and the seed of the 
Henbane contain two alkaloids, one the Hyos- 
cyamtia or Hyoscyamine, and the other //yoscine 
or the //yoscypicrin of some authors; the former 
capable of forming crystals of a colorless acicu- 
lar nature and producing other compound alka- 
loids, such as the sulphate of hyoscyamine (ob- 
tained by means of sulphuric acid.) The Ayos- 
cine is an amorphous substance left by the action 
of the acid on the Hyoscyamia. The name is 
said to be derived from the Greek words hus or 
hyos, a hog, and kuamos, a bean, from the fact 
that the plant does not poison hogs; of this I 
cannot speak positively. : ae 
Kalmia, Mountain Laurel, Kalmia Latifolia. 
Natural order Ericacee. This evergreen pe- 
rennial shrub is found growing and covering the 
hillsides of the woodlands of the United States, ~ 
also found in Europe. The shrub is thickly 
covered with handsome evergreen leaves of a 
leathery texture, elliptical and lanceolate in 
shape, about 2 to 3% inches long (5 to 9 centl- 
