p. 243. Helmont. Ort. Med. p. 306. Ephemer. Germ. annis 7 & 8. &c. 
Hyoscyamus yierr, ORD. XII. Solanaceae, seu Luride. 205 
“The smell of Hyoscyamus is strong and peculiar, and the leaves, 
when bruised, emit somewhat of the odour of tobacco. This smell 
is still stronger when the leaves are burnt; and on burning they 
sparkle with a deflagration, somewhat resembling that of nitre, but 
to the taste they are mild, and mucilaginous.” Henbane is a pow- 
erful narcotic poison,” and many instances of its deleterious effects 
are recorded by different authors ;’ from which it appears that any 
* Haller says, Memini sodalem meum Simonium, cum Leida mecum, anno 1725. 
Boerhaavii schoias frequentaret, Aconita, Apocyna, Belladonne baccas impune de- 
vorasse, ab Hyoscyami vero semine victum, nimix curiositatis penas dedisse, atque 
mente alienatum, alterogue latere relainm, tamen a Preceptore servatum fuisse. 
Stirp. Helv. n. 580, 
> Out of the many instances of this kind, we shall only advert to some of them, in 
order to shew that the roots, seeds, and leaves of this plant, have separately produced 
poisonous effects, Dr. Patouillat, Physician at Toucy in France, relates (in the Phil. 
Trans. vol. 40. p. 446) that nine persons, in consequence of having eaten the reots of 
Hyoscyamus, were seized with most alarming symptoms; ‘* some were speechless, and 
shewed no other signs of life than by convulsions, contortions of their limbs, and the 
risus sardonicus; all having their eyes starting out of their heads, and their mouths 
drawn backwards on both sides; others had all the symptoms alike; however five of 
them did now and then open their mouths, but it was to utter howlings. The madness 
of all these patients was so complete, and their agitations so violent, that in order to 
give one of them the antidote, 1 was obliged to employ six strong men to hold hia: 
while I was getting his teeth asunder to pour down the remedy.” And what is, ne- 
markable, Dr. P, says, that on their recovery, all objects appeared to them as red.as 
scarlet, for two or three days.——Further-accounts of the effects of these roots are 
given by Wepfer de Cicut, &c. p. 230. Simon Pauli Quadr. p. 384. Blom, in Vet. 
fic. Handl. 1774. p. 52. Respecting the seeds of Henbane, we have an account 
given by Sir - staan (in the Phil. Trans. vol. 38. p. 99.) of four children who 
ate them by mistaking the capsules, in which they were contained, for filberts. 
‘¢ The symptoms oa appeared in all the four were great thirst, swimmings of the 
head, dimness of sight ravings, profound sleep, which last in one of the children con- 
tinued two days and nights.” See also Essays and Observations, pliys. & Ht. vol 2. 
The 
leaves of Hyoscyamus, we are told, were boiled in broth, and eaten by seven persons, 
( five men and two. women) who soon became affected with symptoms of intoxication., 
Dr. Stedman says, ‘‘ I saw them about three hours after having eat it; and then three: 
of the men were become quite insensible, did not know their comrades, talked inco- 
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