HENBANE, 397 



and has the narcotic odour of the plant. It is not ahered 

 by the acids. The alkalies change it to a deep greenish yel- 

 low, which, on the addition of an acid, disappears, and a 

 brownish flocculent precipitate is produced. Sulphate of iron 

 strikes with it a black colour, and a dark precipitate is slowly 

 formed ; a copious white precipitate is produced by acetate 

 of lead, and black ones by nitrate of silver. Thence Hen- 

 bane appears to contain resin, mucus, extractive, a peculiar 

 alkaline salt, and gallic acid."* 



Poisonous Properties. — Goats, sheep, and swine are said 

 to eat this plant with impunity ; and Renard t states, that 

 horse-dealers are accustomed to mix the seeds with oats in 

 order to fatten their horses. It is injurious to stags, and fatal to 

 most birds, especially the gallinaceous tribe, also to fishes, and 

 to nearly all insects J. The smell is said to drive away rats. 

 " According to the experiments of Orfila, the juice of an extract 

 procured from the leaves, stems, and especially the root, pro- 

 duces in animals a state of sopor, much purer than that caused 

 by opium. It is most active when injected into the jugular 

 vein, less so when applied to the cellular tissue, and still less 

 when introduced into the stomach. Except occasional pa- 

 ralysis of the heart, indicated by florid blood in its left cavity, 

 no morbid appearance is to be found in the dead body. Six 

 drachms of the pharmaceutic extract of the leaves killed a dog 

 in two hours and a quarter, when swallowed ; and three 

 drachms killed another in four hours through a wound in the 

 back. Its action appears to be exerted through the medium 

 of the blood-vessels, and is purely narcotic." § 



The whole plant appears to be poisonous to man ; Sir J. 

 Smith, however, and Professor Martyn assert that they have 

 swallowed the seeds without inconvenience, while several other 

 writers mention instances of their dangerous and even fatal 

 effects 1 1. Perhaps the oil contained in the seeds when taken in 



* Thomson's Dispensatory, p. 392. 



•f- Journal de Medicine, torn, xxviii. p. 243. 



X Except a species of Cimex, or bug, and Chrysomela, or beetle, which 

 feed upon it. § Christison, 1. c. from Orfila. 



11 Hippocrates (de Morb. Mul. lib. i. ed. Fses. p. 629) states that they 

 cause delirium, hir Hans Sloane (Phil. Trans, vol. xxxviii. p. 99) adduces 

 an instance of four children who eat the seeds, mistaking the capsules for 

 filberts. The symptoms were great thirst, giddiness, dimness of sight, 



