2G8 BOTANY AS APPLIED TO VETERINARY SCIENCE. 
this animal had received, and from which one would suppose 
he must have suffered considerable pain, 1 noticed that up 
to the last moment he went on eating his grass as quietly as 
possible, as if nothing at all were the matter with him. 
BOTANY AS APPLIED TO VETERINARY SCIENCE. 
By W. Watson, M.R C.V.S., Rugby. 
{ContinuedftOM p. 146.) 
The next important plant in this division is the Atropa 
belladonna. This, like the Solanum dulcamara, the plant last 
described, belongs to the class of Exogens and to the natural 
order Solanaceae. The following will be found a brief outline 
of its botanical characters: 
AtrojM belladonna {deadly nigJitsJiade or dwale).—Floivers 
solitary, imperfectly axillary, stalked, about an inch in length, 
rather drooping. Calyx campanulate, five-cleft. Corolla 
campanulate, twice as long as the calyx, greenish towards 
the base, but of a dark purple towards its five-lobed, equal 
border. Stamens five, distant above. Style as long as the 
corolla. Stigma capitate. Berry seated in the enlarged calyx, 
lobose, two-celled, of a shining, violet-flake colour, about 
the size of a small cherry, w ith a longitudinal furrow^ on each 
side, containing numerous reniform seeds, in a mawkishly 
sweet but neither agreeable nor nauseous pulp.^^—Royle. 
The name Belladonna signifies fair lady,” and is supposed 
to have been given to this plant in consequence of its juice 
having been used by the Italian ladies as the principal in¬ 
gredient in a favorite cosmetic. This indigenous, perennial 
plant is found growing in waste places and hedge-banks in 
many parts of this country. It thrives best on a calcareous 
soil, attains a height of from three to four feet, flow'ers in 
June and July, and ripens its fruit in September. Its dan¬ 
gerous properties have been known from a very early period. 
It has been supposed that it w'as this plant which produced 
such remarkable and fatal effects upon the Roman soldiers 
under Mark Antony, during their retreat from the Parthians. 
The Scotch, under Macbeth, are said to have mingled the 
juice of belladonna with a donation of wine and ale w hich 
they supplied to the Danish army of Sweno during a truce; 
the Danes, becoming stupefied, were murdered at leisure by 
their treacherous opponents. All parts of the plant are more 
