78 



BITTER-SWEET. 



The activity of this plant is supposed to depend on an alkaloid, called by 

 Defosses, who first discovered it, Solania or Solanine, which is also found 

 in the berries of the garden nightshade, but not in the leaves. Solania is 

 obtained by treating the filtered juice with ammonia, whereby a greyish 

 precipitate is formed. This deposit, collected upon a filter, washed, and 

 treated with boiling alcohol, yields by evaporation the above salifiable base. 

 When pure, it is white and opaque, having no smell, but a slightly bitter 

 and nauseous taste. It requires 8000 times its weight of hot water for 

 solution, and is but sparingly soluble in alcohol. It has an alkaline reaction, 

 and with acids forms neutral salts. Its action on animals is, to pro- 

 duce vomiting, which is generally succeeded by lethargic drowsiness. 



Poisonous Properties. — The berries of the woody Night- 

 shade are looked upon with terror by the peasantry, who rank 

 them with the shining fruit of the bryony, under the name of 

 "poison-berries." The accounts of their deleterious nature have 

 probably been much exaggerated, for Duval gave sixty, and 

 even a hundred berries to dogs without any appreciable results ; 

 and the acute physiologist Magendie states, that he " would not 

 hesitate to take those substances himself which he has observed 

 to be innocuous to animals." Moreover, half an ounce of the 

 extract has been taken by an adult without any inconvenience*. 

 Some cases of their noxious, and even fatal effects on children 

 are recorded, but we are not assured that the berries were 

 those of this plant; they might have been gathered from 

 the bryony, which is equally common in hedges. Neverthe- 

 less, the bitter-sweet belongs to a suspicious tribe, and parents 

 should warn their offspring of the danger of eating its tempting 

 fruit. If untoward symptoms are produced by this or any other 

 vegetable, medical assistance should be promptly obtained. 



Medical Properties and Uses. — The ordinary effects of 

 this plant are narcotic and diuretic. In large does it occasions 

 nausea, vomiting, syncope, palpitation, and convulsive twitch- 

 ings of various parts of the body. " Its influence on the nutritive 

 functions is shown by the alvine evacuations, the increase of 

 perspiration, and abundant secretion of urine. It also augments 

 the product of the mucous secretions, and in some cases facili- 

 tates expectoration." 



Whatever may be the medical value of the Dulcamara, it has 

 been extensively employed in various acute and chronic dis- 



* Flore Medicale, p. 173. 



