Sauvages (Nosel,) supposes that the Belladonna was the plant which produced such strange and 
dreadful effects upon the Roman soldiers during their retreat (under the command of Antony,) from the 
Parthians ; they are said to have “ suffered great distress for want of provisions, and were urged to eat 
unknown plants ; among others they met with an herb that was mortal ; he that had eaten of it, lost his 
memory and his senses and employed himself wholly in turning about all the stones he could find, and 
after vomiting up bile, fell down dead.” — Plutarch’s Life of Antony. Buchanan relates that the Scots 
mixed a quantity of the juice of the Belladonna with the bread and drink which by their truce they were 
to supply the Danes with, which so intoxicated them, that the Scots killed the greatest part of Sweno’s 
army while asleep. 
The active properties of Belladonna reside in a salifiable base named dtropine. 
Action of Atropine on the Animal Economy. — When M. Brandes was experimenting on this alkali, 
he was obliged to desist, in consequence of the violent head-aches, pains in the back, and giddiness, with 
frequent nausea, which the vapour of the salt occasioned: it had, indeed, so injurious an effect upon his 
health, that he entirely abstained from further experiments. He once tasted a small quantity of the 
sulphate of Atropine — it was merely saline. He was quickly attacked with violent head-ache, shaking in 
the limbs, alternate sensations of heat and cold, oppression of the chest, difficulty of breathing, and di- 
minished circulation of the blood. The violence of these symptoms ceased in half an hour. The vapour, 
even of the various salts of Atropine produces vertigo. When exposed for a long time to the vapours 
from a solution of nitrate, phosphate, or sulphate of Atropine, the pupil of the eye becomes dilated. This 
occurred frequently to M. Brandes ; and when he tasted the salt of Atropine, the dilatation followed to so 
great a degree, that it continued for twelve hours, and was not influenced by the different shades of light, 
which were thrown on the eye. M. Runge ascertained that alkaline solutions completely destroy the 
properties of Atropine, or, at least, affect it so much that it loses the power of causing dilatation of the 
pupils ; he also found that lime water produces the same effect. 
Belladonna has been much extolled as a remedy in hooping cough, and from its exhibition being ac- 
companied by symptoms resembling those of scarlatina, it has been recommended as a preventive against 
that disorder, and it does really seem, on experiment, to render persons insusceptible of the infection of 
scarlet fever. 
A plaster composed of one part of carbonate of ammonia to three of extract of Belladonna, and 
spread on soft leather, is an excellent combination for painful muscular affections. 
The Belladonna is a perennial plant, flowering in June, and July, ripening its berries in September, 
and rises to the height of three or four feet. It is generally found in shady lanes, and hedges ; in the 
neighbourhood of villages, and ancient ruins, and very luxuriantly amongst the ruins of Furness Abbey, 
in consequence of which, the valley is called the vale of Night-shade. 
