193 ATROPA BELLADONNA 



order to which it belongs, it dilates the pupil of the eye, 

 whether taken internally, or applied locally. In large doses, bella- 

 donna is a powerful poison. It has been used internally in a 

 great variety of diseases, as chorea, epilepsy, hooping-cough, 

 asthma, &c. ; also to allay pain and spasm in various forms 

 of neuralgia, rheumatism, gastrodynia, spasmodic stricture of the 

 urethra, colic, tetanus, delirium tremens, dysmenorrhcea and other 

 painful uterine affections ; also to check incontinence of urine in 

 children, &c. ; as an antidote in poisoning by opium, hydrocyanic 

 acid, or the calabar bean ; and in diabetes, pneumonia, acute 

 nephritis, chronic albuminuria, exophthalmic goitre, and numerous 

 other affections. Dr. John Harley also regards it as a most 

 valuable remedy in scarlatina. It has also been considered as a 

 prophylactic against scarlatina, more especially by homoeopathic 

 practitioners, but the more general experience of physicians is 

 entirely opposed to this idea. 



Atropia is but little used for internal administration on account 

 of its very powerful action. Both it and the sulphate of atropia 

 in solution may be, however, employed for subcutaneous injection. 

 The solution of sulphate of atropia is frequently used in this way, 

 in the collapse of cholera, and in that of digitalis, colchicum, 

 and aconite poisoning, &c. ; and also by ophthalmic surgeons for 

 dilating the pupil of the eye. 



Both belladonna and atropia are likewise valuable applications to 

 give relief in various neuralgic, rheumatic, and other painful affec- 

 tions, as angina pectoris and palpitation of the heart. Belladonna 

 when applied to the female breast checks the secretion of milk ; and 

 Dr. Einger has found it very useful in checking sweating, as that of 

 the head in rickets ; and he also found that the hypodermic injec- 

 tion of ~ 5 g r - ^ atropia arrested sweating for a whole night in a 

 case of phthisis. The local application of belladonna also moderates 

 inflammatory action, and has thus been found to check suppura- 

 tion in carbuncles, &c. Belladonna and atropia are also of great 

 value to the ophthalmic surgeon to produce dilatation of the 

 pupil of the eye for ophthalmoscopic examination ; and in cataract 

 and other eye affections where it is desirable to dilate the pupil, or 



