NIGHTSHADE. 177 



means in hypochondriasis, melancholy, mania, and hydropho- 

 bia ; but notwithstanding the cases mentioned by Mayerne, 

 Richter, Munch, and others, later experience is not satisfac- 

 torily affirmative of its powers either in mania or hydrophobia. 

 Its use in constitutional epilepsy, is commended by Greding, 

 Evers, Theden, J. H. Munch, and Stoll ; in hooping-cough by 

 Marc ; and in convulsive coughs by Buchhave ; in jaundice 

 also by Greding * ; and in dropsy, rheumatism, gout, quartan 

 fevers, and lues venerea, by various writers. To fevers in 

 general it is not applicable, and dysentery appears the only in- 

 flammatory disease in which it has been successful t. Dupuy- 

 tren, however, gave it internally in scrofulous ophthalmia and in- 

 flammation of the retina. Hahnemann and Koreff assert, that 

 persons while under the influence of this medicine are safe from 

 the contagion of scarlet fever, a fact which Randhahn has con- 

 firmed by experiments on one hundred and sixty children. 



For all the complaints above mentioned, not only the 

 leaves, but the berries and root, with their various prepara- 

 tions, have been employed according to the opinion of the pre- 

 scriber. 



The external use of the extract of Belladonna, rubbed 

 on the eye-brow for the purpose of dilating the pupil prior to 

 the operation of extraction of cataract, is now generally resorted 

 to; its operation in this case, it would appear, is confined to 

 the radiated fibres of the iris alone. Bougies armed with it 

 have been applied to spasmodic strictures ; and even to the neck 

 and mouth of the womb, when their rigidity arrests parturition. 

 A little of the extract rubbed on the affected part sometimes 

 alleviates the pain of neuralgia ; and a plaster composed of 

 extract of Belladonna and carbonate of ammonia is very effica- 

 cious in relieving local pains. 



From the uncertainty of the operation of the Deadly Night- 

 shade, the dose of the powdered leaves should not exceed one 



* Greding, in Adversar. pract. vol i. pars. iv. p. 637- - Evers, in Han- 

 nov. Magaz. 1783, no. 99. — Theden, neue Bemerk. nnd Erfahr. vol. ii. p. 

 212. — J. H. Munch, Diss. Obs. circa usum Belladonnae in melancholia, &c, 

 p. 27, sqq. — Stoll, Rat. Med. vol. iii. p. 408. — Marc ex Flore Medicale, 

 torn. ii. p. 11. — Buchhave, Anvusning for Almuen til Belladonna rodens 

 nyttige Brug i Kighoste, 1785. — Greding, in Ludwig Advers. vol. ii. pars 

 2. p. 319. 



f Pinel, in Flore Medicale, 1. c. 

 VOL. II. N 



