BRYONY. 99 



the credulity of the common people. The mode by which they 

 obtained a resemblance to the human ^figure was this : — they 

 found a young, thriving Bryony plant, and opened the earth 

 round it, taking care not to disturb the lower fibres, and being 

 prepared with a mould, such as is used for making plaster of 

 Paris figures, they fixed it close to the root, and fastened it with 

 wires to keep it in its place, then filling up the earth carefully 

 to the root, they left it to assume the prescribed figure. As it 

 grows very rapidly, their object was generally accomplished 

 in one summer. The leaves also were sold for those of 

 the mandrake, though they bear no resemblance to each 

 other. 



Qualities and general Uses. — The root of this plant seems 

 to bear a considerable resemblance to that of Arum. In its re- 

 cent state it has a very disagreeable odour, and a nauseous, bit- 

 ter, acrid taste, and is undoubtedly poisonous ; but the deleterious 

 principle may be so far dissipated by repeated washings with 

 water, as to afford a fine and white fecula, capable of furnishing 

 an alimentary substance, which in seasons of dearth is the 

 more valuable, as the root is very abundant and very voluminous. 

 Dioscorides informs us, that the young shoots may be eaten as 

 asparagus, but he adds, they augment the quantity of the faeces 

 and urine. The odour of the berries is slightly nauseous, and 

 the taste insipid ; a few of them have been eaten without any 

 remarkable effect being produced, but in all probability they 

 partake of the noxious qualities of the root. 



A substance has been lately detected by Brandes and Firn- 

 haber in the root, to which the name of Bryonine has been 

 given ; besides which, the root contains a large portion of 

 gum and starch, a little sugar, some woody fibre, malate and 

 phosphate of lime, and a peculiar vegeto-animal matter. Bryo- 

 nine is intensely bitter, soluble both in water and alcohol, and 

 appears to be the active principle of the root from which it 

 is derived. 



The process used by M. Fremy to obtain Bryonine, consists 

 in saturating the expressed juice of the root with ammonia, fil- 

 tering the fluid, and evaporating it till a pellicle is formed on 

 the surface. The pellicle is the impure Bryonine, which is to 

 be purified by solution in alcohol. Twenty-two grains of this 



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