ATROPA BELLADONNA. ORD. XII. Solanaecer, seu Luride. 931° 
Whether this plant is the srevyvs wavmes of Dioscorides or not, 
botanists have not yet ascertained, but it has certainly been long 
known as a strong poison of the narcotic kind; and the berries, 
though less powerful than the Jeaves, furnish us with many instances: 
t of * their fatal effects, particularly upon children, who are réadily 
ky * Sennert. lib. vi. par, 7. cap. 9. Lobel Stirpium Adversa. p. 103. Matthiolug 
Oper. Omn. p. 754. Octinger de Belladonna. Aug. Vindel. Steychnom: ania, &¢. 
. Bodaeus a Stapel. Comment. in Theophrast. 586. Simon Pauli Quad. Botan. p.488. 
Gerard’s Herbal, 341. Wepfer’s Cicut. Aquat. Histor. et Noxx, p. 228. Boulduc. 
i Histoire de ’ Acad. a. 1703. Rossi Plant. Venen. p. 11. Boerhaave’s Hist. Plant. 
Lugd. Bat. Hort. p. 510. Journ. de Med. ann. 1759.. Gent. Magaz. 1747. & 1748.. 
Hill’s British Herbal, p.329. Spielman’s Diss. Veget. Venen. p.16. Mapp. Pl. Alsat. 
p- 36, Murray’s Apparat. Medicam. p. 431. Many other recent facts of the same 
kind might be adduced from various 's periodical publications. Ray found by applying 
the leaves of the Belladonna near the eye, a remarkable relaxation of the uvea was 
produced. Sauvages ( Nosol) supposes that the Belladonna was the plant whieh pro- 
duced such strange and dreadful effects upon the Roman soldiers, during their retreat 
(under the command of Anthony) from the Parthians ; they are said to have “ suffered - 
“* great distress for want of provisions, and were urged to cat unknown plants: 
*¢ among others they met with an herb that was mortal; he that had eaten of it, lost 
‘© his metnory and his senses, and employed himself wholly in turning about all the 
“stones he could find, and after vomiting up bile, fell down dead.” ~~ Pintarch Life’ 
of Anthony. The Scotch historian, Buchanan, relates that the Scots mixed a 
quantity of the juice of the Belladonna (Solanum Somniferum) with the bread and 
- drink, which by their truce they were tosupply the Danes with, which so intoxicated 
them, that the Scots killed the greatest part of Sweno’s army while asleep. Lib. vii. 
Ray relates a curious instance of the effects of this plant in the following words: 
Hist. Plant. p. 680. Accidit, ni fallor, tempore Pontificis Maximi Urbani ultimi, ut 
quidam de faniulitio Cardinalis magni nominis (ut mihi hic Auguste retulit cjus 
hortulanus) infunderet in vino Malvatico herbam illam quam Bellam Donnam yocant, 
daturam alias per noctem ut ejus herbe effectus discerent; infusum hoc propinarunt 
evidam fratri mendicanti ex conyentu S. Hieronymi, qui Patavii Fratrum ignorantix 
dicitur, 2 primo breve delirium, cachinni, varie ; dein insania vera, post 
stupor eientii qualis est ebriorum vighaiitiuia. Cardinalis pro ebrio in carcere inclu- 
dit; deinde a medico qui rem subolfecerat innocens pronuntiatur, qui aceti cyatho 
propinato, a dementia quam Bella Donna causavit eum liberat. Hachstellerus Decad. 
And Shakespeare in his Mackbeth makes seis say, 
Or have we eaten of the insane roat 
That takes the reason prisoner, 
