STRAMMONIUM, OR THORN APPLE. 



553 



ffweet (dulcamara). The berries act powerfully 

 on the stomach and bowels, exciting both vomit- 

 ing and purging. Thirty of these were given 

 to a dog, whicli soon became mad, and died in 

 the course of three hours;* and upon opening 

 his stomach, the berries were discovered to have 

 undergone no change by the powers of digestion. 

 There can therefore be little doubt of the dele- 

 terious nature of these berries; and as they are 

 very common in hedges, and may easily be mis- 

 taken by children for red currants, which they 

 somewhat resemble, the greatest care should be 

 taken to point out their danger. The stem and 

 young branches are the ])arts employed in medi- 

 cine; and these are said to be strongest in autumn, 

 after the leaves are shed. 



Dulcamara docs not exhibit those decided nar- 

 cotic qualities that the other species do. It is 

 said, however, to act as a general stimulant, by 

 increasing all the secretions of the body when 

 given in moderate doses; in larger quantities, it 

 produces sickness, vomiting, and convulsions. 

 Much of its activity seems to depend on the soil 

 in which it grows. In light dry soils, and warm 

 climates, its powers are very greatly increased. 

 It has been recommended in rheumatism, affec- 

 tions of the skin, glandular swellings, and ulcers. 

 A decoction of the young twigs in water, is the 

 form usually employed. 



Strammo.nium or Thorn Apple {datura stram- 

 »!on««ni^.Thisplant,belongingtothesame natural 



817. 



Strammoniam. 



family as the above, is a native of America; it 

 is also a common annual in this country, grow- 

 ing about dunghills, and among rubbish. The 

 stalk is thick, smooth, and shining, growing to 

 the height of two feet. The leaves are alternate, 

 large, broad towards the base, pointed at the 

 extremities, indented, and formed into several 

 obtuse angles. The flowers are large, solitary, 

 white, with a tubular, pentangular calyx, and 

 funnel-shaped corolla. The capsule is large, 

 oval, fleshy, beset with long spines, and divided 

 into cells. 



The strammonium, in its recent state, has a 

 bitterish taste, and a smell somewhat resembling 



* Woodvillc's Botany. 



that of poppies. It has strong narcotic quali- 

 ties. The odour of the plant is said to induce 

 giddiness and stupor; and the leaves, stem, oi 

 capsule, if taken into the stomach, produce all 

 the effects of a poison. The seeds are the most 

 powerfully narcotic part of the plant; and 

 instances have occuiTed where they were eaten 

 by mistake, and death followed. When taken 

 into the stomach in moderate quantity, they 

 ])rodnce a sort of intoxication, followed by a 

 deep sleep. M. Brandes has discovered the 

 peculiar active principle of these seeds, and has 

 termed it daturine. 



This plant, or an allied species, was known to 

 the ancient Greek physicians. In modern times, 

 it was first tried as a remedy in mania and mel- 

 ancholy, by Baron Stoerck. Several cases of the 

 same diseases were also cured or relieved by it, 

 under the direction of diflFcrent Swedish physi- 

 cians. It has also been employed, and some- 

 times with advantage, in convulsive diseases. 

 Dr Barton considers it to be a medicine of general 

 efficacy. He gives it in powder, beginning with 

 doses of a few grains, gradually increasing to 

 fifteen and twenty gi-ains. In a case where thirty 

 grains were given, it dilated the pupil of one 

 eye, and produced paralysis of the eyelids, 

 which was removed by a blister. The smoke 

 of the dried root and stem, has been much 

 extolled for the cure of asthma. This practice 

 was derived from the East Indies, where other 

 species of the plant are employed. For this 

 purpose the root and lower parts of the stem are 

 to be dried quickly, and cut into pieces, and 

 then beat so as to divide the fibres. Part of 

 them are put into the bulb of a tobacco pipe, 

 and the smoke is first to be taken into the mouth, 

 and then inhaled into the lungs. This is said 

 to excite a heat in the chest, followed by copious 

 expectoration; sometimes there is giddiness and 

 drowsiness, but rarely nausea. It frequently 

 gives relief when a pipe is thus smoked, upon a 

 paroxysm being threatened, or even after its 

 commencement. The patient generally falls 

 asleep, and awakes relieved. In some cases a 

 perfect cure is effected, but more commonly, 

 according to the predisposing cause, the relief is 

 only temporary. 



Dr Marcet highly extols an extract prepared 

 from the seeds, in preference to that from the whole 

 plant. In doses of from one-eighth of a grain to a 

 grain, he says, in cases of chronic disease, attended 

 with acute pain, it produces almost immediate 

 relief. It also occasions a sort of nervous shock, 

 which is frequently attended with a momentary 

 affection of the head and eyes, with a degree 

 of nausea, and with a feeling of intoxication. 

 In many instances it excites nervous sensations, 

 which are refeired to the oesophagus, or wind- 

 pipe, causing a feeling of suffocation. It does 

 not produce direct sleep, but rather ease and free- 

 4a 



