NIGHTSHADE. 17.'* 



the largest proportion of this principle, but the dried and pow- 

 dered root is usually employed, and is said to afford no more 

 than one three-thousandth part of pure atropia. 



Poisonous Properties. — Sheep, rabbits, goats and swine eat 

 the foliage of this plant with impunity, but it is highly poisonous 

 to the human subject. The berries having a beautiful appear- 

 ance and sweet taste, are tempting to children, and when swal- 

 lowed have produced alarming effects, but their virulence has 

 probably been exaggerated, as several persons have swallowed 

 three or four without experiencing any bad consequence*. If 

 proper remedies are employed, they seldom prove fatal, even in 

 large doses f . 



The first symptoms produced by an over dose are, dryness in the throat, 

 nausea, a kind of intoxication, vertigo, delirium, which is generally extra- 

 vagant and commonly of a pleasing kind, accompanied with immoderate 

 fits of laughter, sometimes with complete loss of voice ; the pupil is dilated 

 and insensible ; these effects are sooner or later followed by a state of 

 lethargy, which, if relief is not afforded, terminates in death. Tremors, 

 swelling of the face, locked jaw, and subsultus tendinum are occasionally- 

 present, but convulsions are rare^:. Hence Belladonna is ranked among 

 the narcotic acrids, exerting not only a local action, but affecting remotely 

 the brain, the spine, and the heart. 



The peculiar poisonous qualities of this plant have been known from an 

 early period, as appears from the epithets applied to it by the ancients. 

 Its power of causing mania, or a species of intoxication, is supposed to be 

 alluded to by Shakspeare in the speech of Banquo to Macbeth, — 

 *' Or have we eaten of the insane root, 

 That takes the reason prisoner." 

 There can be no doubt that it was the plant resorted to by the Scotch un- 

 der Macbeth, when, under pretence of a truce, they sent bread and a mix- 

 ture of wine and ale impregnated with poison to the troops of Sweno, who, 

 after partaking of the treacherous gift, fell into a lethargic sleep, and were 

 easily massacred by their enemies §. At a much eailier period, its potent 

 oblivious effects appear to have been experienced by the Roman soldiers 

 during their retreat under the command of Anthony from the Parthians ; 

 thus described by Plutarch in his account of the Parthian war. " They 

 who sought for herbs, obtained few that they had been accustomed to eat, 



* Gilibert, Dem. Elem. de Botanique, torn. i. p. 244. — Haller. Hist. 

 Stirp. Helv. 579. 



•J- Gigault, in Journ. de Chimie Med. iv. p. 300. 



£ See Orfila's experiments, Toxicol, gen. ii. p. 261. 



§ See Buchanan's Rerum Scoticarum Historic, lib. xx. Edinburgi, 1582. 



