146 OCCASIONALLY FATAL. 



THE PURPLE THORN APPLE, Datura Tatula L., has sim- 

 ilar effects to those of Datura Stramonium. It may be 

 distinguished from it by its purple stems and pale pur- 

 ple flowers. 



THE TOBACCO PLANT, Nicotiana tabacum L., contains 

 the alkaloid nicotin whose action has been much discussed. 

 Dry leaves of the tobacco plant contain 6% of the alka- 

 loid, which is a very powerful and rapid poison. Dr. 

 Winslow summarizes the symptoms caused by swallowing 

 nicotin and the proper treatment in such a case. First 

 there is irritation and pain in the throat and stomach. 

 Then comes trembling and weakness, followed by con- 

 vulsions, which later cease. The pupils are contracted. 

 Then vomiting and purging and increased urination are 

 produced. Respiration is at first slow, then rapid. 



The proper treatment is to empty the stomach and use 

 tannic acid and heart stimulants such as strychnin, atro- 

 pin or alcohol. 



Nicotin cannot be held directly responsible for all the 

 effects due to smoking, as it is easily decomposed by heat 

 into pyridin and other similar alkaloids. Pyridin, in 

 large doses, causes depression of the spinal nerves and 

 paralysis of respiration. 



The plant is from four to six feet high, with very large 

 ovate lanceolate leaves and panicles of rose-purple flow- 

 ers with a funnel-form corolla two inches long. It is a 

 native of South America. 



WILD TOBACCO, Nicotiana rustica L., is found in On- 

 tario and southward, and was cultivated by the Indians. 

 Its effects are similar to those of common tobacco. It is 

 an annual, with ovate leaves and greenish-yellow flowers. 



