142 OCCASIONALLY FATAL. 
ing, and cramps. In the rare instances where death oc- 
curred, it came as a result of paralysis of the lungs. 
The plant grows across the continent in shaded places. 
It is a rather spreading annual with ovate, sinuately- 
lobed leaves. The flowers resemble those of Bittersweet 
but are white instead of purple. The berries are black. 
THE THREE-FLOWERED, SPREADING OR PRAIRIE NIGHT- 
SHADE, Solanum triflorum Nutt., has berries which have 
been proved poisonous in experiments with guinea pigs. 
It grows on plains in Ontario and the west, and is a low, 
spreading annual with acute, pinnately dissected leaves. 
The flowers, in clusters.of one to three, are white; the 
berries, green or blackish. 
THE BLACK HENBANE, Hyoscyamus niger L., other com- 
mon names of which are, Foetid Nightshade, Insane Root, 
and Poison-tobacco, contains a very poisonous mixture of 
alkaloids, the chief of which are hyoscyamin and hyoscin. 
Pseudohyoscyamin is also present. The roots and seeds 
are more poisonous than the leaves. The taste is dis- 
agreeable and animals usually do not eat it. Many 
cases of children poisoned by the seed are on record. 
The effect of the drug is similar to that of atropin, but 
its action on the brain is more sedative and its stimula- 
tion of heart_and respiratory centres is less pronounced. 
It is used tn thedicine. 
The plant is found in Canada and the northern states 
extending as far west as Ontario. It is erect and one to 
three or four feet high. The leaves are ovate and sinuate 
toothed, the upper ones clasping the stem. The flowers 
are in one-sided leafy spikes. The bell-shaped or cup- 
shaped corolla is composed of five united, dull yellow 
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