Lond. Succus spissatus Atropae Belladonnae, Edin. Dub. Extract of Belladonna.

"Take of fresh leaves of belladonna, a pound. Bruise them in a stone mortar, sprinkling a little water over them; then express the juice, and, without any separation of the sediment, evaporate it to a proper consistence."

Syn. Extrait de Belladonne (F.), Belladonna-extrakt (G.), Estratto de l'erba di Belladonna (I.).

The inspissated juice of the Edinburgh Pharmacopoeia is to be prepared in the same manner as the inspissated juice of aconite.

This extract is inodorous, and has a bitterish taste. Its medicinal properties are the same as those of the plant, but weaker. They depend on an alkaloid, which has been named Atropia. We have witnessed benefit from extract of belladonna in hooping-cough, in combination with carbonate of soda; but it requires to be exhibited with great caution. A plaster, composed of equal parts of the extract and carbonate of ammonia, or of soap plaster, is efficacious in relieving local pains. An ointment, also made with equal proportions of the extract and simple ointment, is useful in allaying the pain of chordee; and the extract rubbed on the affected part has been found a useful means of procuring temporary relief from the pain of neuralgia. A little of it rubbed upon the eyelid dilates the pupil; thence it has been found useful in the operation for cataract. The dose for. an adult is from gr. j. gradually increased to gr. v. given in the form of pills. In cases of hooping-cough in children, the dose is 1/10 of a grain, gradually augmented until a scarlet eruption appear on the skin, or the sight become affected. This extract, when taken in very large doses, produces all the symptoms of a powerful narcotic poison.

The most striking are dilatation and immobility of the pupils, confused vision or insensibility to the impression of external objects; the vessels of the conjunctiva appearing as if injected with blue blood; dryness of the lips, the tongue, the palate, and fauces. Sometimes there is difficult deglutition, nausea, syncope, frequent flexion of the body forward, continual movements of the hands and fingers, lively delirium, with an idiotic smile, difficulty of articulation, and a kind of tenesmus. If these effects subside, the healthy functions are restored, but every recollection of the previous state is lost. Sometimes, the patient passes into a state of fatuity, livid spots appear on different parts of the body, the pulse sinks, the intestines become paralyzed, profuse colliquative sweats break forth, and death supervenes.

Dissections display signs of inflammation of the mucous coat of the digestive canal, sometimes proceeding to ulceration; the liver and lungs are more or less inflamed, and the latter gorged with black blood. The body rapidly passes into putrefaction.

The remedies in poisoning by belladonna or its extract, are, after removing the poison by the stomach syringe, affusions of cold water on the head and body, acidulated drinks, and vomiting and purging.