52 I. VEGETABLES.— SoLANE^. 



folia, applied to the eye, paralyse the iris ; they are useful in 

 cancer and scrofula, either applied as poultices, or sprinkled over 

 the sores ; used also internally in doses of gr. j to iij in obstinate 

 diseases, acting as a narcotic, diaphoretic, diuretic, and sialogogue. 

 Berries eaten in an over-dose^ that is, more than three or four, 

 are poisonous ; vinegar is the best antidote, as emetics, even tartar 

 emetic 3ss, have, in this case, scarcely any action ; juice of the 

 berries cosmetic, rendering the cheeks pale, made into syrup, in 

 doses of coch. parv. j, has been given as an anodyne in dysentery. 

 The narcotic properties of thi& substance depend on its containing 

 the alkaloid atropia. 



Winter cherry, Alkekengi, Halicacabum, Physalis alkekengi. 

 Berries an ti nephritic, lithontriptic, and diuretic ; if in gathering 

 they are rubbed against the calyx, they acquire a nauseous taste, 

 and become purgative. 



Jamaica winter cherry, Physalis ancfulosa. Juice of the 

 plant, with Cayenne pepper, diuretic ; eases the colic. 



*CoMMON NIGHT-SHADE, Solanum vulgare, S. nigrum. Leaves 

 used externally as anodyne in erysipelas ; young shoots, bredes, 

 laman, eaten as spinage ; berries produce mania, somnambulism, 

 and death. 



*Bitter sweet. Woody night-shade, Solanum Ugnosum, 

 Dulcamara, S, dulcamara. Twigs, didcamarce caules, diuretic, 

 depurative, in chronic eruptions ; its taste being covered with 

 milk. The form in which it has been used is chiefly that of 

 decoction ; two or three ounces of that of the London Pharma- 

 copoeia may be given thrice a day. Officinal preparation, — Decoct, 

 dulc. D. L. 



Lycopersicon, Solanum lycopersicon. Berries, love-apple^ 

 tomatoes ; used to make a sauce. 



Melongena, Solanum melongena. Leaves narcotic; berries, 

 mad apples, mala insana, boiled and eaten in the warmer countries, 

 S, incanum. Leaves applied to cancers. 



Solanum tuberosum. Tubers of the root, potatoes, batatas, 

 appear to yield a vast quantity of food upon a small extent of 

 ground, and with little labour, but only one-seventh part of the 

 weight is nutritive; the remainder is an acrid, poisonous juice. 

 When it first began to be used, it was supposed to be narcotic, 

 diuretic, and aphrodisiac. 



Salep powder, French salep. Potatoes peeled, cut in slices, 

 baked until brittle, hornlike and breaking like glass, then ground 

 to a whitish powder. 



Solanum ovigerum, distinguishable from the egg-like variety 

 of S. melongena, by its acrid pulp, which being removed by the 

 scoop or pressure, the flesh is dressed and eaten. — S. vespertilio. 



