THORN-APPLE. 305 



# 



that a child, who amused itself with this poison- 

 ous plant in a garden at Worthing, was so af- 

 fected as to have been in the greatest danger, 

 from which it was only relieved by the prompt 

 assistance of a skilful medical practitioner. And 

 it is not long since, that some of the thorn- 

 apples being thrown frofti a garden into a street 

 in the city of Chester, a child, who ate of the 

 seeds, became blind and mad, biting, scratching, 

 shrieking, laughing, and crying, in a frightful 

 manner. 



We feel it more necessary to caution the un- 

 wary against the dangers of this powerful plant, 

 since it has had its medical virtues so much ex- 

 tolled as to induce the ignorant into a belief that 

 it must naturally be an innocent and harmless 

 vegetable; but it should be impressed on the 

 minds of persons in general that (hose plants 

 which afford the most efficacious medicine in the 

 hands of the skilful practitioner, are the most 

 dangerous in those of the ignorant, and should 

 therefore never be used as a domestic remedy. 



The Stramonium is employed occasionally as 

 an anodyne, on account of its narcotic properties 

 not inducing constipation like opium. Its effects, 

 however, are frequently formidable, and even 

 fatal, when administered by the incautious. 



Vol. II. X 



