NAT. ORDER. — SOLANE^. 39 



had eaten of it, lost his memory and his senses, and employed him- 

 self wholly in turning about all the stones he could find ; and, af- 

 ter vomiting up bile, fell down dead." The Scotch historian, 

 Buchanan, relates, that the Scots mixed a quantity of the juice of 

 the Belladonna, with the bread and drink which by their truce 

 they were to supply the Danes with, which so intoxicated them, 

 that the Scots killed the greatest part of Sweno's army while 

 asleep. 



Propagation and Culture. All the various varieties of the 

 Belladonna can be greatly improved by cultivation : they require 

 a strong, rich, loamy soil, and shady situations, where, if carefully 

 attended, they will grow to a great size. This plant is not in- 

 crea.sed by cuttings, like many others, but mostly by seeds, or the 

 berries, which should be gathered when ripe, kept in a dry place 

 for the winter season, and planted early in the spring, about two 

 inches deep, in pots, or in the margin of the garden. If in pots, 

 they require to be watered, in dry weather, every day, especially 

 after they have been grown to some size : a neglect of plenty of 

 water, where they are in pots, will not ensure a luxuriant growth. 

 The roots are sometimes parted, and the plant increased by 

 layers : this should be done early in the spring. For medicinal 

 purposes, the roots (if used) should be gathered late in the fall, 

 after the top has gone to seed. 



Medical Properties and Uses. The leaves of the Belladonna 

 were first used externally to discuss schirrhous and cancerous tu- 

 mors, and also as an application to ulcers. Their good effects in 

 this way at length induced physicians to employ them internally 

 for the same disorders ; and we have a considerable number of 

 well authenticated facts, which prove them a very serviceable and 

 important remedy. But it must likewise be confessed, that many 

 cases of this sort have occurred, in which the Belladonna has 

 been employed without success : this, however, may be said of 

 every medicine ; and though Dr. Cullen repeatedly experienced 



