DEADLY NIGHTSHADE. 



551 



cure sleep, and allay pains; anil Celsus and others 

 have made use of it for tlie same purposes, both 

 externally and internally. Its modern use was 

 revived by Baron Stoerck, who gave it in the form 

 of an extract, in cases of epilepsy, and other 

 nervous and convulsive diseases. 



In modern practice it is employed in all those 

 cases where opium is found not to suit the par- 

 ticular constitution. As it is of a laxative ten- 

 dency also, it is employed in preference to opium, 

 where it is of importance to preserve the due 

 action of the bowels. 



The usual preparations are an extract made 

 l)y evaporating the inspissated juice, the dose 

 of which is from a grain to fifteen, twenty, and 

 even thirty, increased gradually. 



A spirituous tincture is also prepared from the 

 leaves, which is about one-half tlie strength of 

 laudanum. Externally, both those preparations 

 are used in rheumatism and local pains, and in 

 certain diseases of the eye. A watery solution 

 of the extract applied to the eye, has a similar 

 effect with that of belladonna in dilating the 

 pupil, and thus preparing the eye for an opera- 

 tion, or assisting the cure of its internal inflam- 

 mation. This dilatation leaves no injurious 

 effect afterwards. Poultices of the leaves are 

 also applied to indolent tumours, and irritable 

 Bores. Its effect in cancerous sores, however, is 

 only to allay pain. 



Deadly Niohtsiiade (atropa belladonna). 

 Natural family TOfareete; pontandria, monogynia, 



Deadly Kightshnde. 



of Llnnteus. This plant, which is found grow- 

 ing in shady situations and waste grounds in this 

 country, belongs to a natural family which all 

 possess, in a greater or less degree, the narcotic 

 poisonous quality. 



The root is thick, whitish, and perennial, 

 sending forth annually a strong, branched, pur- 

 ple coloured stem, from three to five feet high. 



The leaves are of unequal size, and are entire, 

 oval, pointed, standing in pairs on very short 

 footstalks. The flowers are large, bcU-shaped, 

 pendent, and of a brown purple hue; appearing 

 in June or July, and producing a round pui'plo 

 berry, which ripens in September. The whole 

 plant is covered with a fine down. 



Dioscorides and other Greek physicians were 

 in all probability acquainted with this plant, 

 though their descriptions are not sufficiently 

 minute so as to identify it. Sauvages supposes 

 that the belladonna was the plant which pro- 

 duced such strange and dreadful effects upon the 

 Roman soldiers under the command of Anthonj', 

 during their retreat from the Parthians. In this 

 retreat they suffered great distress in the want 

 of provisions, and were urged to eat unknown 

 plants; among others they ate one which had a 

 deleterious effect, so that he that had eaten of 

 it, lost his memory and his senses, and employed 

 himself wholly in turning about all the stones 

 he could find; and after vomiting up bile, fell 

 down dead. Buchanan, the Scotch historian, 

 also relates that the Scots mixed the juice of 

 the belladonna witli the bread and drink which 

 by their truce they were to supply the Danes 

 with, which so intoxicated them, that the Scots 

 killed the greater part of Sweno's army while 

 asleep. The root, the leaves, the juice, and the 

 ben-ies of this plant, are all morQ or less poison- 

 ous. The latter are often eaten by children; and 

 if more than three of them be taken into the 

 stomach, sickness, great heat, and thirst, painful 

 swallowing, giddiness, delirium, and convulsions 

 follow. The eyelids are drawn down, the iris is 

 dilated and immovable, the face becomes red 

 and swelled, and spasms affect the jaw. The 

 sensibility of the stomach and other organs 

 becomes so paralyzed, that the strongest emetics 

 have no effect; while the action of the heart is 

 gi-adually diminished, till death takes place. 

 After death, the coats of the stomach and 

 Ijowels exhil)it signs of inflammation. Strong 

 emetics, the stomach pump, and afterwards 

 draughts of vinegar and water, should be used 

 as a means of cure when these berries have been 

 swallowed. 



The leaves of this plant were at an early period 

 used internally in cases of glandular swellings 

 and cancerous tumours, as also to ulcers. Their 

 beneficial effects in these cases, led physicians to 

 employ them internally for the same disorders, 

 when they were in many instances successful. 

 Dr Cullen says, "I have had a cancer of the lip 

 entirely cured by it; a schirrosity in the breast, 

 of such a kind as frequently proceeds to cancer, 

 I have found entirely discussed by the use of it: 

 a sore a little below the eye, which had put on 

 a cancerous appearance, was much mended by its 

 internal use; but the patient having learnt some- 

 what of the poisonous nature of the medicine. 



