60 



MANUAL OF POISONOUS PLANTS 



Fig. 16d. Garden Poppy {Papaver 

 somniferum'). A poisonous plant produc- 

 ing a large number of alkaloids like 

 morphin, codein, etc., (Strasburger, Noll, 

 Schenck and Schimper). 



Poisoning from Solanaceae. 



A number of plants of the Solanaceae are known to be poisonous; among 

 them the common thorn-apple or Jimson weed {Datura Stramonium) , the atropa 

 (Atropa Belladonna) and hyoscyamin (Hyoscyamus niger) besides such suspected 

 plants as the common black nightshade (Solanum nigrum), horse nettle {Solan- 

 um carolinense) , bittersweet (Solanum dulcamara) and scopiola. The cases of 

 poisoning from atropin are more frequent, perhaps, than statistics seem to in- 

 dicate. The English death statistics for ten years, ending 1903, according 

 to Blyth show 95 per cent of the deaths from atropin ; 35 per cent were 

 suicidal. Most of the accidental cases arise from mistakes made by the 

 pharmacist or physician. Criminal poisoning is carried on to a less extent in 

 Europe and America than in India. Blyth states that of the 120 cases recorded 

 in works on Indian toxicology no less than 63 per cent were criminals, 19 per 

 cent suicidal, and 18 per cent accidental. The most important alkaloids found 

 are atropin, hyoscyamin, scopalamin and solanin. Solanin is poisonous and 

 is regarded as a nitrogenised glucoside. In man the symptoms of atropin 

 poisoning are: Dilating of the pupils, dryness of the mouth and throat; the 



