142 OCCASIONALLY FATAL. 



ing, and cramps. In the rare instances where death oc- 

 curred, it came as a result of paralysis of the lungs. 



The plant grows across the continent in shaded places. 

 It is a rather spreading annual with ovate, sinuately- 

 lobed leaves. The flowers resemble those of Bittersweet 

 but are white instead of purple. The berries are black. 



THE THREE-FLOWERED, SPREADING OR PRAIRIE NIGHT- 

 SHADE, Solanum triflorum Nutt., has berries which havs 

 been proved poisonous in experiments with guinea pigs. 

 It grows on plains in Ontario and the west, and is a low, 

 spreading annual with acute, pinnately dissected leaves. 

 The flowers, in clusters of one to three, are white; the 

 berries, green or blackish. 



THE BLACK HENBANE, Hyoscyo.mus niger L., other com- 

 mon names of which are, Foetid Nightshade, Insane Root, 

 and Poison-tobacco, contains a very poisonous mixture of 

 alkaloids; the chief of which are hyoscyamin and hyoscin. 

 Pseudohyoscyamin is also present. The roots and seeds 

 are more poisonous than the leaves. The taste is dis- 

 agreeable and animals usually do not eat it. Many 

 cases of children poisoned by the seed are on record. 

 The effect of the drug is similar to that of atropin, but 

 its action on the brain is more sedative and its stimula- 

 tion of heart and respiratory centres is less pronounced. 

 It is used in medicine. 



The plant is found in Canada and the northern states 

 extending as far west as Ontario. It is erect and one to 

 three or four feet high. The leaves are ovate and sinuate 

 toothed, the upper ones clasping the stem. The flowers 

 are in one-sided leafy spikes. The bell-shaped or cup- 

 shaped corolla is composed of five united, dull yellow 



