492 MEDICAL BOTANY. 



From the universal occurrence of Stramonium in this country, numerous 

 cases of poisoning with it have occurred, principally among children, who are 

 fond of sucking the sweet secretion from the flowers, and often swallow the 

 seeds. Where these cases take place, the best plan of treatment is to evacu- 

 ate the stomach as speedily as possible, after which, affusion with cold water, 

 and the regulated use of stimulants will usually be successful. 



Medical Uses, tf-c.—It has been much prescribed in neuralgic pains, and 

 with considerable success in the form of extract ; it has no direct tendency to 

 cause sleep, except by relieving the pain, which it sometimes does very 

 speedily and effectually, hence in rheumatism it has afforded much relief 

 (Zollickoffer). It has also been highly recommended in mania and epilepsy, 

 and numerous cases have been recorded in which it has proved a benefit in 

 these diseases, but the general result of the practice has not been favourable, 

 and it is now considered rather as useful in allaying the excessive mobility of 

 the system, than as tending to the absolute cure of the complaint (Chapman, 

 Therap. ii. 230). 



Its good effects have been more marked in asthma, especially, of the spas- 

 modic kind, used as an inhalation by smoking or otherwise ; in many cases 

 of this kind, it has afforded much relief, but wholly fails in others, and has also 

 proved highly injurious in some instances, causing the most dangerous symp- 

 toms, and hence requires much caution in regulating it. Dr. Bigelow (Am. 

 Med. Bot. i. 23), Jias given some very judicious remarks on its employment, 

 and others will be found in Dr. Dunglison's Practice of Medicine, ii. 328. Dr. 

 Marcet, who experimented largely with this remedy, has given the result of his 

 observations, that many kinds of painful diseases were more relieved by it 

 when used internally, than by any other narcotic, that its effects on the 

 bowels were rather relaxing than astringent, and that the great objection to 

 its employment was the occasional production of disagreeable, nervous symp- 

 toms (Med. Trans, 1815). 



Externally it has been used to dilate the pupil and to diminish the sensi- 

 bility of the eye, but, in general, belladonna is preferred. Cataplasms of the 

 fresh leaves have been found of benefit in inflammatory tumours, and to the 

 swelled breasts of nursing women ; and an ointment made with the powdered 

 leaves has afforded much relief in haemorrhoids and painful ulcers. This 

 ointment has also been recommended in nymphomania to lessen venereal 

 excitement. 



All parts of the plant are used, but the seeds, from containing most Da- 

 turia, are the most powerful. The dose of the powdered leaves is one grain ; 

 of the seeds half a grain ; of the extract of the seeds a quarter of a grain ; 

 that from the leaves a grain; of the tincture ten to twenty drops; all to be 

 gradually increased if required. 



The other species are likewise very active, and possess much the same pro- 

 perties, but with some modifications. D.fastuosa, an annual plant of Egypt, 

 with large, purplish flowers, has been employed in asthma in the form of a 

 tincture, which Dr. Adam is of opinion might be prescribed in all cases in 

 which that of digitalis is useful. (Trans. Med. Phys. i. 371.) Dr. Skipton 

 found it beneficial in asthma, in the form of a strong decoction. (Trans. Soc. 

 Med. Calcut. iv. 282.) D.ferox, a native of India, resembling D. stramo- 

 nium, but having the capsules still more spinous, has the same properties, 

 and is said by Crawford (Ind. Archip. i. 466), to be used by the Malays to 

 produce stupor, and to be a powerful agent in the hands of the Chinese to 

 effect various impositions. D. metel, another Indian species, has long been 



