1 Spec. Plant. Willd. i. 1016. Cl. 5. Ord.l. Pentandria Monogynia. Nat. Ord. Solaneae. G. 381. Cor. bell-shaped. Stam. distant. Berry globular, 2-celled. Species 2. A. Belladonna. Deadly Nightshade, or Dwale. Med.

Bot. 3d ed. 230. t. 82. Eng. Bot. 592. Smith, Flor. Brit. 253. Officinal. Belladonna, Lond.-folia et radix, Dub. Atropae

Belladonnae folia, Edin. Deadly Nightshade leaves and root. Deadly Dwale.

Syn. Belledame (F.), Tollkraut (G.), Doodkruid (Dutch), Wargbar {Dan. Swed.), Belladonna ( I. S.Portug.), Psinki (Pol.), Sug-ungger (H.), Robuturbuc (Pers.), Inubus salel (Arab.).

Belladonna is an indigenous perennial, found in many parts of Great Britain, particularly in shady places where the soil is calcareous, flowering in June, and ripening its berries in September. The root is thick, fleshy, and creeping; sending up several erect, purple-coloured, herbaceous, annual stems, about three feet in height, branching, leafy, round, and somewhat fleshy. The leaves are lateral, in pairs of unequal size, decurrent, on short petioles, egg-shaped, pointed, entire; of a dusky green colour above, and paler below; soft and fatty to the touch. The flowers are supported on one-flowered, solitary, axillary peduncles; large, drooping, and having a faint narcotic odour: the calyx is green, persistent, and deeply divided into five ovate segments : the corolla bell-shaped, of a lurid hue externally, and within dusky, or brownish violet, with a yellow variegated base, enclosing five filaments shorter than the corolla, nodding, and bearing large anthers: with a pyramidal germ, supporting a long simple style and two-lobed stigma.

The ripe berry is large, seated within the calyx, roundish, with a longitudinal furrow on each side, shining, smooth, and of a deep purple colour; containing many seeds, and a sweetish, violet-coloured juice.

Qualities.-The leaves of Belladonna are inodorous: the taste is slightly nauseous, sweetish, and subacrid. They do not lose their active properties by drying. Vauquelin found that they contain a substance resembling animal albumen, salts with a base of potassa, and a bitter principle, soluble in alcohol; this was afterwards found by M. Runge to be an alkali on which the narcotic quality of the plant depends; and which has since been examined by M. Brandes, who has named it Atropia2 The seeds yield the largest proportion of

1 Named after one of the Fates.

2 To obtain it, boil the dried leaves in distilled water; press the decoction out and filter, after the albumen has been thrown down by sulphuric acid added as long as any precipitate is formed; then to the filtered fluid add potassa as long as a precipitate is produced: leave at rest, and decant off the fluid;. then wash this precipitate in pure water, redissolve it in muriatic acid, and again precipitate this principle, and it is also obtained from the roots. Every part of the plant is poisonous; and children and the ignorant have often suffered from eating the berries, the beautiful appearance and sweet taste of which render them very alluring. The symptons which they induce are those or intoxication, accompanied with fits of laughter and violent gestures l; great thirst, difficulty of deglutition, nausea, dilatation of the pupil, with the eyelids drawn down; redness and tumefaction of the face, stupor or delirium, a low and feeble pulse, paralysis of the intestines, convulsions, and death. Dissections show that the stomach and intestines have been inflamed; and after death the body swells; blood flows from the nose, mouth, and ears; and the most rapid decomposition ensues.

The best mode of averting these fatal effects is by exhibiting emetics of sulphate of zinc, or of copper, and assisting their operation by irritating the fauces: then evacuating the bowels by active purgatives and glysters; and following these by large doses of vinegar and other vegetable acids. The recovery is always slow. If M. Runge's experiments be correct, lime-water should be the antidote for poisoning by Belladonna.

Medical properties and uses.-The deleterious effects we have enumerated demonstrate that Belladonna is a very powerful narcotic. It is, besides, diaphoretic and diuretic. When injudiciously or incautiously given, or when it is taken for a considerable length of time, even in small doses, it is apt to induce a dryness and stricture of the pharynx and adjoining parts of the oesophagus, sickness, vertigo, and dimness of sight: symptoms sufficiently indicative of the necessity of suspending its use for some time, and giving it in smaller doses when it is resumed. The internal administration of Belladonna appears to have been suggested by the advantages resulting by ammonia. This is Atropia. It is in white, silky, acicular crystals, inodorous, bitter, little soluble in cold water, or even alcohol, but very soluble in boiling alcohol; from which, however, it is deposited on cooling.-Ann. of Phil. vol. i. pp. 2, 3. (new series.) Schweiggers Journ. vol. xxviii. p. 1. M. Runge, however, asserts that Atropia is destroyed by alkalies; and, consequently, they cannot be used to obtain it. He recommends hydrate of magnesia, procured by decomposing the sulphate of magnesia by potassa. This hydrate just precipitated is added to the aqueous infusion of Belladonna; and the whole evaporated to dryness.

The residue is then pulverized, and treated with alcohol. The crystalline mass obtained from the spontaneous evaporation of the alcoholic solution filtered, is Atropia.-Ann. de Chym. xxvii. p. 32.

1 Buchanan, the Scottish historian, states that the victory of Macbeth over the Danes was obtained chiefly by mixing this plant in a donation of wine and ale, which was sent by the Scots to Sweno during a truce. He describes very accurately the. botanical characters of the plant; and adds, "vis fructui, radici, ac maxime semini somnifera, et quae in amentiam, si largius sumantur, agat."- Rerum Scot. Hist. lib. vii. sect. 6.

from its external application. Lambergen, Cullen, De Haen, Junker, and others, found it very serviceable in the early stage of scirrhous and cancerous affections. Ritcher, Brera, Munch, Mayerne, and others, have asserted that it cures hydrophobia; and it has also been given with advantage in obstinate intermittents, chronic rheumatism, gout, paralysis, amaurosis, epilepsy, and pertussis; in the last of which diseases we can speak of its efficacy from our own experience. Hufeland asserts that it has the power of allaying convulsions arising from scrofulous irritation; and its beneficial effects in neuralgia facialis have been well ascertained.1 Its narcotic powers are certainly great; but they have not been found sufficiently constant and permanent to insure its general use. Externally, used either as a fomentation, or the dried leaves powdered and sprinkled over the parts, it is of singular efficacy in diminishing the pain of cancerous and ill-conditioned sores; it obtunds the pain of haemorrhoids; and as the infusion, when dropped into the eye, produces a great dilatation of the pupil, it was proposed by Professor Reimarus for dilating the pupil previous to the extraction of the cataract; and the extract is now commonly used in this country for the same purpose.2 M. Dupuytren gives Belladonna internally in scrofulous ophthalmia, and inflammation of the retina.

M. Runge3 ascertained that this power is destroyed by alkaline solutions. "Its operation appears to be limited to the radiated fibres of the iris."4 By continued use it loses its effect; but regains it after the application has been, for a short time, suspended. Hahnemann and Professor Koreff have stated that Belladonna given during the prevalence of Scarlatina has the power of protecting the individual who takes it from the infection. Dr. Randhahn, physician of the Orphan Hospital of Langendorf, in Prussia, has confirmed this fact, by experiments on 160 children exposed to the contagion in the above-named hospital. It appears to possess some efficacy in erysipelas.

Belladonna may be given in substance, beginning with one grain of the dry leaves powdered, and gradually increasing the dose until it displays its effects on the habit. An infusion, made with one scruple of the dry leaves in ten fluid ounces of boiling water is also used: two ounces may be given daily, and the dose cautiously increased. From what has been stated regarding the effect of alkalies on Belladonna, these bodies are incompatible in formula with it.

1 Observations on the Use of Belladonna, etc. by John Bailey, 8vo. 1817.

2 Med. and Phys. Journal, No. xxxii.

3 Ann. de Chym. xxvii. 32.

4 Adam's Practical Observations on Ectropium, etc. 8vo. p. 44.

Officinal preparations. - Extract Belladonaeae, L. Succus spis-satus Atropae Belladonna, E. D.