SOLANACE^i. 105 



says, — " The James-town weed, which resembles the Thorny-apple of Feru (and I 

 take to be the plant so called), is supposed to be one of the greatest coolers in the 

 world. This being an early plant, was gathered very young for a boiled salad, by 

 some of the soldiers sent thither to quell the rebellion of Bacon, and some of them ate 

 plentifully of it ; the effect of which was a very pleasant comedy, for they turned 

 natural fools upon it for several days. One would blow up a feather in the air, 

 another would dart straws at it witli much fury ; another stark naked was seen 

 sitting up in a corner like a monkey, grinning and making mouths. A fourth would 

 fondly kiss and paw his companions, and sneer in their faces with a countenance more 

 antic than any in a Dutch doll. In this frantic condition they were confined, lest in 

 their folly they should destroy themselves. A thousand simple tricks they played ; but 

 after eleven days they returned to themselves again, not remembering auything that 

 had passed." There can be no doubt, had the herb been fully grown, the end would 

 have been far more tragical. A species of Thorn-apple nearly allied to this was 

 probably used by the priests of Delphos to produce those paroxysms which they 

 persuaded their devotees were manifestations of Divine power, and another was 

 employed for a similar purpose by the Peruvians. 



That the peculiar effect of Stramonium is to produce, first, a kind of fatuity, and 

 then symptoms of narcotism, there is much evidence to prove. Thus Dr. Barton 

 mentions a case of a child suddenly seized with idiocy, the pulse, tongue, and all 

 other appearances natural — excepting the brain. The boy appeared to be happy, 

 talking, laughing, and in constant motion, yet so weak he could not stand or walk 

 without tottering. An emetic was administered, some seeds of the Thorn-apple were 

 thrown up, and he quickly recovered. The seeds are decidedly the most powerful 

 part of the plant. They contain an alkaloid, known to the chemists as Daturia, 

 which may be obtained in crystals from the alcoholic infusion. One-eighth of a grain 

 of this substance killed a bird in three hours. These seeds are used in medicine as 

 narcotic and anodyne. Beneficial effects are said to follow their administration in the 

 form of an extract in mania and epilepsy. It has been used both inwardly and 

 outwardly, in allaying the pain of chronic rheumatism and neuralgia. It is, however, 

 far too dangerous a remedy to be employed by non- medical persons. The chief appli- 

 cation of Stramonium in recent times has been the method introduced from India of 

 inhaling its smoke as a remedy for asthma, and we now frequently see in the chemists' 

 shops, " Stramonium cigars," which, however, must be smoked by sufferers with great 

 caution. Dr. Christison remarks, that this method of using Stramonium must have 

 been known at an early period in Europe ; for in 1542 Fuchs mentions that its 

 vernacular name in Germany was Rauch Apfelkraut (Smoke Apple-wort). Its 

 property of dilating the pupil of the eye has caused its occasional use by oculists ; but 

 it is much inferior to belladonna. 



GENUS r.-HYOSCYAMUS. Linn. 



Calyx bellshaped, constricted above the middle, 5-toothed at the 

 apex, persistent, slightly accrescent but unchanged in form when 

 in fruit. Corolla slightly irregular, funnelshaped ; tube moderately 

 long ; limb somewhat spreading, 5-partite ; segments blunt, slightly 

 unequal, imbricated in eestivation. Stamens 5, inserted in 



VOL. VI. p 



