S7(> PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA; 



spinous, spines soft. Style as long as the stamens. fif%,„a lamef- 

 late, 2 cleft. Capsule oval, spinous, 4 celled, 4 valved, opening at the 

 suniniit; 2 cells often incomplete, fi^eerfs numerous, reniform! some 

 what rugose, black, attached to a large, convex, central receptacle. 



Irrows in cultivated grounds, very common. 



Flowers Maj— September. James-Town or Jimson weed. 



Thorn-Jpple. 



part 



Jtfateria Medica. Every 



It has been given in various forms, but the seed, in the opinion of 

 Professor Ives of New-Haven, contains all the medical properties of 

 the plant, and is to be preferred to the extract of the leaves, a prepa- 

 ration extremely variable in strength. He advises to give i or i of 

 > grain of the pulverized seed twice a daj, and to increase the 

 doses as the system becomes accustomed to the medicine until a 

 dilatation of the pupil of the eye takes place. This occurrence indi- 

 cates that the system cannot bear it any longer tvith safety, and it 

 should be laid aside until the pupil regains its proper size, which t^«s 

 place very gradually, when it may be resumed. He has found 

 some constitutions to bear doses of 10 grains. This is his mode 

 of exhibiting the Stramonium with a view to its alterative eflects. 

 The Stramonium may be used as an anodyne and soporific where 

 tlie use of opium is improper. Its action seems principally di- 



timep wears down its irritabilitj. 



length 



b^ 



In Epilepsy it has been used probablj witli more advantage thaB 

 any other remedy. 



In Mania, unaccompanied with a turgescence of the head and gene* 

 ral arterial excitement, it has been employed by Dr. Barton and others 

 ivith much success^ It sometimes produces a disease of the skin. 



In spasmodic Asthma Professor Ives gives a dose of the powderea 

 seed every hour, increasing the quantity until the patient is relieved. 

 * He has, in some instances, given to the extent of 8 grains in four or 

 £ve hours. This practice has been found very successful. Smoking 

 the fibres of tlie root with a view to relieve this complaint has been 

 productive, in several instances, of the worst consequences. It mu»t 

 be obvious that the Stramonium should never be used internally but 

 with caution. 



An extract of the leaves spread over the eye-lids produces, m an 

 hour or two, a dilatation of the pupils, which remains aftei^ the removal 

 of the application, in some instances, twentjr-four hours.^ ^ 



An ointment prepared from the leaves relieves the irritation ot Diifi' 

 ters and the pain of contusions. The expressed juice of the '^^^^V^ 

 a very serviceable application in callous ulcers. Travellers can nia^ 

 no better application to recent injuries of the backs of their horses 



than the b 



It is improper to encourage tl 



residence of a family^ as caild 



by coating the seed* 



the 



