550 SOLANACEA: 
*“Garden nightshade ”’ of Dioscorides (iv.69) appears to agree 
well with S.nigrum. He distinctly states that it may be eaten 
without danger, and describes it as very cooling whether applied 
externally or administered internally.. It appears’to have been 
used. chiefly by the Greeks as a local application to inflamed 
parts, 
Haji Zein-el-Atiar, under the name of Inab-eth-thélib, “ fox’s 
grapes,” in Persian Riibah-turbak, and Sag-angur “‘dog’s 
grapes,” describes a kind of nightshade with yellowish red berries 
having similar properties, which he also saysis useful in dropsy as 
a diuretic; he concludes with acaution against the use ofanother 
kind with black berries which causes delirium and is_ highly 
poisonous. In cases of poisoning by the latter plant he directs 
an emetic to be administered, and milk, or honey and water 
with aniseed and bitter almonds to be: given. Most Arabian 
and Persian writers on Materia Medica describe the four kinds 
of orpixvos mentioned by Dioscorides as varieties of Inab-eth- 
thalib, and copy from Greek writers, but they only appear to 
have used the first and second kinds medicinally, viz., Solanum 
nigrum or dulcamara, and Physalis Alkekengi, commonly known 
as Kakanaj. The Inab-eth-thdlib of the present day, imported 
from Persia, consists entirely of the red berries of 8S. duleamara. 
In India the juice of S. nigrum is given in doses of from 6 to 8 
ounces in the treatment of chronic enlargements of the liver, 
and is considered a valuable alterative and diuretic. The juice 
after expression is warmed in an earthen vessel until it loses 
its green colour and becomes reddish brown; when cool it is 
x ‘strained and administered in the morning. aes is said to act aS 
 a&hyd: ogogne cathartic and diuretic. Mr.M. Sheriffin his Sup- 
ant to the Pharmacopeta of India speaks very favourably 
of it when used in this way. In-smaller doses (1 to 2 ozs.) it is 
# valuable alterative in chronic skin diseases, such as psoriasis. 
In the Concan the young shoots are cooked as a vegetable and 
given im these diseases. ‘Dr. De B. Master of Bombay. informs 
us that as'seen fl with great snecess in psoriasis: 
Loureiro states that theherb is anody wane eboaidbectiecd 
