162 
NAT. ORDER. SOLANACE^E. 
This plant has been long known as a powerful narcotic 
poison. Its congener, Datura metel, is thought by Theophrastus 
and Dioscorides to be superior, and was therefore the species re- 
ceived by Linnseus into the Materia Medica. The Stramonium, 
in its recent state, has a bitterish taste, and a smell somewhat re- 
sembling that of poppies, or, as called by an ancient author, nar- 
cotic, especially if the leaves be rubbed between the fingers. By 
holding the plant to the nose for some time, or sleeping in a bed 
where the leaves are strewed, giddiness of the head, and stupor, 
are said to be produced. 
Instances of the deleterious effects of this plant are numerous, 
especially of the seeds, some of which we shall relate, for the 
purpose of conveying to the reader some idea of the symptoms 
which they produce. A man, aged sixty-nine, laboring under a 
calculous complaint, by mistake boiled the capsules of the Stra- 
monium in milk, and, in consequence of drinking of this decoc- 
tion, was affected with vertigo, dryness of the fauces, anxiety, fol- 
lowed by loss of voice and sense : the pulse became small and 
quick, the extremities cold, the limbs paralytic, the features distor- 
ted, accompanied by violent delirium, continual watchfulness, and 
a total suppression of all the evacuations; but in a few hours he 
was restored to perfect health. Many circumstances of a similai' 
character have come under our observation, showing in every in- 
stance that this plant is a most deadly narcotic, and should be used 
with great caution. We lately saw several children poisoned with 
the roots of the Aconite, or monk's-hood, thrown into the street, in 
the suburbs of the city ; also with the seed of the Stramonium, or 
Thorn-apple ; both at the same time. Those that partook of the 
former were seized with very violent complaints of vomiting, an 
alarming pain in the head, stomach and bowels ; the latter with 
blindness, and a kind of madness — biting, scratching, shrieking, 
laughing and crying, in a frightful manner. Many of them were 
very dangerously affected, and escaped very narrowly with li^e. 
