127-4 
Brandes, in his analysis of the seeds, extracted a fixed oil, fat oil, fatty matter, 
wax, resin insoluble in ether, red extractive matter, uncrystallizable sugar, gum, 
gummy extractive, malic acid, and various uncharacteristic bodies. 
PHYSIOLOGICAL ACTION.—Datura Stramonium acts very powerfully upon 
the cerebro-spinal system, causing a line of symptoms showing it to be a narcoto- 
irritant of high degree. The symptoms collated from many cases of poisoning by 
this drug are: Vertigo, with staggering gait, and finally unconsciousness ; stupor 
and deep sleep, with stertorous breathing; mania, with loquaciousness or melan- 
cholia; hallucinations of terrifying aspect, the patient bites, strikes and screams, 
and throws the arms about, or picks and grasps at unattainable objects; con- 
gestive headaches, with dull beating and throbbing in the vertex. The pupils 
are dilated, and the patient suffers from photophobia, diplopia and hemeralopia ; 
the eyes are wide open, staring, and set, or are contorted, rolling, and squinting. 
The face becomes red, bloated, and hot, the mouth spasmodically closed, and the 
tongue dry and swollen; the patient suffers greatly from thirst, but the sight of 
water throws him into a spasm and causes great constriction of the throat, foaming 
at the mouth, and other symptoms sinilar to those of hydrophobia. There is often 
nausea, but seldom vomiting. The sexual functions are often excited, more espe- 
cially in women, in whom it causes nymphomania. Spasms of the muscles of the 
chest are of frequent occurrence; inspiration is slow and expiration quick. 
Paralysis of the lower limbs and loss of speech, with twitchings and jerkings of 
muscles often mark a case. Its action will be seen to be similar to that of Bella- 
donna, yet differing in many respects. 
A few of the many cases of poisoning by this plant will serve to show its 
mode of action: 
Beverly states* that some of the soldiers sent to Jamestown to quell the 
rebellion of Bacon, gathered the young sprouts of Stramonium and ate them as a 
potage, “ the effect of which was a very pleasant comedy, for they turned natural 
fools upon it for several days. One would blow up a feather in the air, another 
would dart straws at it with fury; another, stark naked, was sitting up in a corner 
_ like a monkey, grinning and making maws at them; a fourth would fondly kiss 
and paw his companions, and smile in their faces with a countenance more antic 
than any in a Dutch droll. A thousand simple tricks they played, and after eleven 
days returned to themselves again, not remembering anything that had passed.” 
J. R. Dodge states} that “ Datura meteloides grows abundantly on the Colorado 
River, in Arizona, and that the Mohave Indians gather the leaves and roots, bruise 
and mix them with water, and after being allowed to stand several hours, the liquid 
is drawn off. It is a highly narcotic drink, producing a stupefying effect, which is 
not very easy to remove. The Mohaves will often drink this nauseous liquid, as 
they are very fond of any kind of intoxication.” The California Indians use a 
decoction of this species to stimulate young females in dancing. The Pah-Utes 
_. _ call the plant Matn-oph-weep; they ferment in the sun a watery infusion of the 
Sf Hag Verina tg. 4 OLS. Agric. Rep, 1870, 423 
