Hyoscyamus, Henbane. This good old remedy of our fathers has been, for some reason, pushed aside, although its powerful derivatives, hyoscyamine and hyoscine, have recently been given a dangerous prominence. For a discussion of them see Belladonna. Prof. Locke has well said of hyoscyamus: "Compared with opium as a hypnotic and anodyne, though not so reliable, it is many times preferable for these reasons: It relieves spasms, quiets the nervous derangement, and produces sleep, with no arrest of secretions, and it does not constipate, nor does it arrest the flow of bile or urine. It may be employed when opium is contraindicated. It is a very successful agent in pulmonary affections. It lessens the cough and irritability, and does not arrest the secretions. In inflammatory conditions of the liver and kidneys it may be used to relieve pain, and here it is better than opium, for it acts without producing headache."

In large doses hyoscyamus must be employed with care, since it sometimes causes delirium and an eruption upon the skin. In tremors and contractures of paralysis agitans give full doses (f.e., 15 to 20 I.). In hallucinations and sleeplessness of the insane the same dose or a full dose of hydrobromate of hyoscine. In mania, delirium tremens, and puerperal insanity give fairly large doses, but where the delirium is "low and muttering" do not give large doses in any form of disease. Painful hemorrhoids, cancerous ulcers, and other painful visceral lesions are given ease by but moderate doses. In small doses there is no doubt at all that Hyoscyamus is a useful but neglected remedy. The eclectic indications are given as follows: "In all conditions where there are busy delirium, hallucinations, weight in the front part of the brain, extreme activity of the mind, disturbed sleep with wild and frightful dreams, coma vigil, flushed face, wild, red, and restless eyes, it is a remedy. In the restlessness, ceaseless agitation, and insomnia of exhaustion, and in diseases of infants and of the extreme aged and feeble, it is especially applicable." They give it by dropping from 5 to 15 drops (according to age) of the f.e. or ec. tr. in half a tumblerful of water and giving a teaspoonful of the dilution every fifteen minutes. They employ it a great deal in pneumonia in infants and the aged, in bronchitis and irritable cough, neuralgia of exhaustion, the bone pains of syphilis, ovarian and other visceral pain, nervous palpitation of the heart, and in hysteria. The eclectics are pretty careful therapeutists, and I doubt not they get good results from these small doses. In case of cough and other conditions with longer dose intervals they increase dose to some extent. Homeopathic indications add little of any value, as they employ it in much the same manner as the eclectics. They use the third dilution, however, in the muttering delirium of typhoid, but that is about as far as a level-headed homeopath will dilute this drug. Most of them use the tincture or the IX. Personally, I get good results from small doses of the f.e.