THE POISONOUS PLANTS OF BOMBAY. 39 



action as Atropine, says Murrell. The sj^mptoms of poisoning by 

 Stramonium differ in no respect from those of poisoning by Belladonna. 

 "The same acoelerated pulse, the same elevation of temperature, the same 

 wild delirium, the same increased frequency of respiration, the same 

 widely dilated pupils, the same red efflorescence on the skin, the same 

 restlessness or convulsions occur in both cases, and when the dose hr.s 

 been sufficiently large, end alike in abolition of the functions of 

 circulation, respiration and innervation — stupor, general paralysis, weak 

 rapid thready pulse, threatened asphyxia constituting the phenomena 

 of the closing scene in poisoning from either narcotic (H. C. Wood). 



Having so far, and so freely dwelt on the pharmacological effects 

 of the alkaloids found in Datura, it is time 1 considered the clinical 

 evidence to be gathered from works on Medical Jurisprudence, chief 

 among which stands the work of Norman Chevers. It is not my 

 intention to dwell on the nefarious deeds of the infamous Dhaturids — 

 who were known, in days gone by, as professional poisoners of 

 travellers and tired wayfarers, poisoned because they were unsuspect- 

 ing. The deeds of such professional poisoners will be best seen in 

 Chevers' work. I therefore pass on to show instances wherein 

 the above-mentioned physiological effects were confirmed by 

 rarious clinical observers, in cases of poisoning by Datura. Dr. 

 Morehead of J. J. Hospital, Bombay, so far back as 1860 says, that 

 in cases of Datura poisoning, the symptom^? are in many respects 

 allied to those of delirium tremens. The delirium is mere mut- 

 tering, not so busy as that of delirium tremens ; but there is the 

 same rambling of the mind on subjects not present to the senses. 

 There is the same power of controlling the thoughts for a faw 

 moments, the same desire to appear rational, and above all, the same 

 picking at small objects, as if they were indistinctly seen, which is 

 often observed in the advanced stages of delirium tremens. Where 

 the quantity of the poisonous stuff taken is large, there is coma 

 with agitated movements of the hands and lips, and picking move- 

 ment of the fingers: in fact, the same class of deranged nervous 

 actions which characterize the third stage of delirium tremens. 

 There is, however, this great difference in these latter phenomena 

 when caused by Datura, — they are very generally recovered from, 

 not by a return from coma to a state of health, but the coma ceases, 



