SOLANACEAE JIMSON WEED 731 



the third, who ate but few of the seeds, was but little affected. Children are also poisoned by 



sucking the flower, or playing with it in the mouth. The fresh green leaves and also the root 

 I have occasionally been cooked by mistake for other wild edible plants. One or two instances 

 [ are recorded in which cattle have been poisoned by eating the leaves of young plants which 



were present in grass hay, but these animals generally either avoid the plants or are very 



resistant to its poison. 



The symptoms of the poisoning are about the same in all cases, those characteristic of la-ije 

 t doses being headache, vertigo,' nausea, extreme thirst, dry, burning skin, and general nervous 

 I confusion, with dilated pupils, loss of sight and of voluntary motion, and sometimes mania, 

 j convulsions, and death. In smaller amounts the effects are like those of the ordinary nar- 



covics. As vomiting is not a common symptom, the contents of the stomach must be quickly 

 ' removed by the use of the stomach tube or emetics. It is well then to wash out that organ 

 I thoroughly with strong tea, tannic acid, or an infusion of oak bark, and to administer stim- 

 ' mlants, such as brandy and hot, strong coffee. Pilocarfin is recommended by physician^ to 

 j counteract the drying effect upon the secretions (licorice is very useful), and prolonged artifi- 

 I cial respiration must often be resorted to to maintain the aeration of the blood. 



As nothing has been said in regard to the atropin which is found in the 

 [; jimson weed, it might be said that the commercial atrofjin is derived from the 

 1 root of belladonna and when used externally it is a local anodyne. Dilute 

 I solutions of atsopin paralyze and stop the corpuscular movement in the blood 

 ' and large doses give rise to slowing of the pulse. In poisoning it causes a 



paralysis _! the vascular motor centers and stimulates the brain ; large 

 J doses produce restlessness and excitement and delirium in man and occasionally 

 ' delirium in lower animals. With reference to the spinal cord, large doses 

 [ cause complete loss of motion. Its action upon the nerves is very important 



and on this depends much of the value of the drug. Dr. Winslow says : 



The peripheral motor nerve terminations, and to a less extent, their trunks, are de- 

 pressed and paralyzed. This is never so complete, however, but that there is some vDhintary 

 j power left in an animal fatally poisoned. 



Dryness of the mouth is one of the first symptoms following the use of 

 i belladonna because of the paralysis of the peripheral terminations of the 

 secretory nerve. The involuntary nerves are not affected by moderate doses 

 of belladonna. The motor nerves ending in the voluntary muscles are paralyzed 

 by poisonous doses of belladonna. Small doses do not affect the respiration, 

 i large doses make it quicker and deeper. Fatal doses cause asphyxia. Moderate 

 i doses cause a rise of temperature, but fatal doses lessen the bodily heat. Dr. 

 ! i Winslow gives the following summary of the action of the drug : 



It will be observed that belladonna, generally speaking, first stimulates and then depresses 

 j the nerve centres, while it chiefly paralyzes the motor nerve terminations, including the Tvilv'bi- 

 , tory (vagus and splanchnic), the secretory (Chorda tympani, etc.), and, to a less extent, the 

 : sensory nerves. Secondary depression of the cerebrum is not so profound as that of the 

 great medullary centres, especially the respiratory centre, and there is sometimes a slight and 

 ; brief stimulation of the motor nerves of the smooth muscles, viz., vagus, splanchnic, and pos 

 I sibly vaso-motor nerves. 



Full medicinal doses depress the peripheral filaments of the inhibitory and secretory nerves, 

 , and those of the unstriped muscles, lessen the functional activity of the voluntary motor s- 

 tern, and, to a less degree, that of the afferent nerves. The pulse becomes quickened because 

 of paralysis of the peripheral vagus endings and stimulation of the heart or its ganglia; tlu 

 blood tension is augmented because of the increased cardiac action and stimulation of the- 

 vasomotor centers; and the respiration is accelerated because of excitation of the respirr 

 ; centers. The temperature is elevated owing to the circulatory exaltation and stimulation of tnt 

 heat-producing centers. Slight delirium may be present from the exciting action of the drug 

 upon the cerebral motor centers. 



The spinal cord is unaffected by therapeutic doses. Locally applied, belladonna is a 

 direct paralyzant to nerves, muscles, vessels and cells. 



Toxic doses of belladonna cause in animals dryness of the mouth, increased frequency of 



the pulse and respiration, elevation of temperature, dilation of the pupil and partial blindness, 



restlessness, nervousness, delirium, twitching of the muscles (occasionally erythema), 



! 



