DATURA. 



219 



growth — Uhited Slaleft Phnrmacopma. The seeds are also employed, and 

 were formerly official. 



Conxlitucidff. — The only really inii)ortant conatituent of henbane ai> 

 pears to be the alkaloid hyosci/aniia. 



Prcparnliona. — Abstractum hyoscyarai — abstract of hyoscyamus ; ex- 

 tractum hyosoyan^i alcoliolicum — alcoholic extract of hyoscyamus ; ex- 

 tractum liyoscvaini fhiidinn — fluid extract of hyoscyamus ; tinctura hyos- 

 cyami — tincture of Lyoscyanuis ; hyosc^'aminic sulphas— sulphate of liy- 

 oscyamine. — United Statca Phnrmacopccia. 



Medical. Projyerlies and f.V.s-. — Hyoscyamus is anodyne and liy2)notic, 

 and is used in a great variety of cases requiring a soothing elt'ect upon the 

 nervous system. In general terms, it may be said to have been employed 

 formerly in nearly the same class of cases in wliich chloral and the bro- 

 )nides are at present so largely used. As an anodyne it is much less power- 

 ful than opium, but has the advantage of being laxative rather than con- 

 stipating, and of producing no unpleasant after-eilects. As a hypnotic it 

 is less efficient than chloral, 

 but also less dangerous, and 

 much less likely to lead to 

 the pernicious habit of tak- 

 ing sleeping potions. 



Much of the uncertainty 

 attributed to hyoscyamus is 

 doubtless duo to inefficient 

 preparations, made from old 

 and inert specimens of the 

 drug. Even hyoscyamia, the 

 active principle, is rather 

 unstable and unreliable. 

 Hence it is desirable tliat 

 preparations should be made 

 from the recent herb if pos- 

 sible. 



DATURA. 



Datura Stramonium 



Linnc. — Stramonium, Tliorn- 

 Apple, Jamestown Weed. 



Description. — Calyx tubular, 5-toothed, the upper part falling off after 

 flowering, while a small portion remains as a circular rim about the base 

 of the capsule. Corolla funnel-form, spreading, plaited, about 3 inches 

 long, white, the margin 5-toothed. Fruit a globular, very prickly capsule, 

 4-valved, 2-celled, each cell incompletely divided into 2 others by a false 



Fio. MR.— Datura Stramoniiiin. 



