ll 
SOLANACHA. 577 
contraction of the involuntary muscles; -as a mydriatic: in 
upillary stenosis, cataract, iritis, posterior synechia,. and 
pilepsy, chorea and eclampsia. To control secretions it is 
used in excessive perspiration, profuse manera copious 
atarrhal defluxions and to. arrest the secretion of m 
preventive against scarlatina it is supposed by some re act by 
ndering the condition of the mucous membranes less favour- 
le to the absorption of the poison. 
_ As an antidote itis used in poisoning by opium, eserine 
d muscarine. 
- Description.—An herbaceous plant with thick, dntdot 
moms, 4 to 5 feet in height; leaves 3 to6inches long, stalked, 
idly ovate, acuminate, attenuated at the base, pubescent 
n young; flowers solitary, campanulate, pendulons, pur- 
h-green; berries black, large and shining. The fresh 
nt has a fetid odour and a nauseous faintly bitter taste. 
berries are sweet. The root is large, fleshy, tapering and 
ched, 1 to 2 inches thick, and a foot or more in length, it 
s a thick, light brown bark, and is internally of a dirty white 
our. Odour not peculiar ; taste acrid. 
hemical composition.—All parts of the plant contain atro- 
together with hyoscyamine. Atropine, C'7115NO5, erys- 
allizes in needles from dilute alcohol; it is slightly soluble in 
, , and very soluble in alcohol or chloroform, and the 
u ienis are alkaline and taste bitter. Its salts enlarge the pupil 
the eye. Atropine is decomposed by hot baryta water or 
d aaa song into apts met, C°H'°05, and tropine, 
HSNO. t t Pp ction on the eyes, 
hen “sc with duhydeating agents, suchas Zn Cl’, 
cL, oa, wei is sigeagen ae Besonding to Ladenburg, 
inane g the methyl (CH) 
6 oxethyl (C*H*O0H) sertnp in iw: plate of two H atoms, 
acid is a phenyloxypropionic acid. By combining 
‘other aromatic acids we obtain tropeins, a class of oe 
| eo in constitution to atropine. - One of 
