cumbent posture, at the same time keeping the urine alkaline by liquor potassæ, is one of the best plans of treatment. The local use of atropine in diseases of the eye is of the greatest importance; solutions of the alkaloid or its sulphate (gr. i-ij to fɔ̃ss. of water), may be dropped into the conjunctival sac, to relieve pain and photophobia, to determine the refraction of the eye from its influence on accommodation, in the diagnosis of suspected cataract, in operations for cataract, prolapsus iridis, and ulcers of the cornea. A good treatment for iritis is the instillation of atropine solution until the pupil is widely and evenly dilated, at the same time giving mercury internally, and continuing all until the danger of synechia is passed. Gelatine wafers, containing gr. to of atropine, are used to dilate the pupil for ophthalmic purposes. It should be recollected that the local application of belladonna, or its alkaloid, may produce the constitutional effects of the drug.

Homatropine. This is made from tropine amygdalate and dilute hydrochloric acid, atropine having been split into tropine and tropic acid. It is similar in its effects to atropine, though weaker, retards the heart's action, and renders it irregular. Applied to the pupil, it quickly brings about wide dilatation, and, moreover, is unirritating, hence it is an acquisition in ocular therapeutics.

Administration.-The dose of the powder of the root or leaves is gr. j, to be repeated and increased till dryness of the throat, dilatation of the pupil, and dimness of vision are produced. The abstract is twice as strong as the powdered root, from which it is prepared. The tincture (15 parts of the leaves to diluted alcohol q. s. to make 100 parts of tincture-dose, gtt. 15 to 30) and the alcoholic extract are also officinal. Of the fluid extract of belladonna root the dose is myj-v. For external use, a plaster (emplastrum belladonna), an ointment (unguentum belladonna), and a liniment (linimentum belladonna, containing fluid extract 95 per cent., and camphor 5 per cent.) are employed.

ATROPINA (Atropine), or its officinal salt ATROPINE SULPHAS (Atropine Sulphate), is generally employed medicinally instead of belladonna, as it represents the activity of the drug, because of the smallness of the dose required, and its fitness for hypodermic The sulphate, which is obtained by mixing the alkaloid.

use.

with water, and gradually adding diluted sulphuric acid until the alkaloid is dissolved and the solution is neutral, when the salt is obtained by evaporation, consists of a white, slightly crystalline powder, very soluble in water and alcohol, but insoluble in ether. As a medicinal agent, the salt is preferable because more soluble. Dose, gr. 100.

STRAMONIUM.

Stramonii Folia, Stramonium Leaves; Stramonii Semen; Stramonium Seed. Datura Stramonium, or Thorn-Apple, sometimes called Jamestown weed (Nat. Ord. Solanaceae), is an annual indigenous plant, which grows very abundantly in waste grounds in all parts of the

world. It has a forked, branching stem, from three to six feet high, ovate, toothed leaves, large funnel-shaped white or purplish flowers, which appear in midsummer, and ovate capsules, filled with numerous kidney-shaped, brownish-black seeds. The odor of the plant is strong and disagreeable, and its taste bitter and nauseous. It loses these properties very much when dried, but the process does not appear to weaken its narcotic qualities. The LEAVES and SEEDS are officinal, but the seeds are most powerful from containing most daturine.

The active principle of Stramonium is an alkaloid termed

daturine, found combined with malic acid, which is chemically identical with atropine, and possesses analogous properties.

The physiological effects of stramonium are closely allied to but weaker than those of belladonna. From its common occurrence in every part of the country, cases of poisoning from this weed are very frequent, particularly with children, who are fond of swallowing the seeds. A case is reported by Calkins* of a boy, aged four years, who swallowed a tablespoonful of the seeds, but, as he soon vomited them, no ill effects resulted. The treatment laid down for the relief of poisoning from belladonna is applicable to these cases. It is eliminated † by the urine.

Medicinally, it is sometimes prescribed internally in neuralgia; and in spasmodic asthma, gr. xxv of the dried leaves are smoked with great relief in cigarettes or pipes, the smoke being drawn into the lungs and the inhalation frequently repeated. Topically, daturine is occasionally used by oculists to dilate the pupils when other mydriatics cannot be employed. Stramonium is an excellent anodyne application, in the form of cataplasm and ointment, to irritable ulcers, bed-sores and hemorrhoids.

Administration.-The dose of the powdered leaves is gr. ij; of the seeds, gr. j, to be repeated and gradually increased till effects are produced. Dose of the extract (of the seed) gr. 2. The fluid extract (dose mij-v), the tincture (10 per cent. of the seed, dose mv-xxx), and the ointment, made by mixing the extract with benzoinated lard, are also officinal.

HYOSCYAMUS.

Hyoscyami Folia, Hyoscyamus Leaves.

Hyoscyamus niger, or Henbane (Nat. Ord. Solanaceæ), is a native of Europe, and is naturalized in the northern parts of the United States. It grows to the height of about two feet, with large sinuated, pale-green leaves, and flowers of a straw-yellow color. The whole plant has narcotic properties; but the LEAVES only are officinal. They should be gathered from plants of the second year's growth when in flower. The active properties of

Am. Med. Monthly, 1856, p. 220.

Arch. de Physiologie Norm. et Pathol., t. iii, 1870, 215. Oulmont et Laurent; De l'Hyoscine et de la Daturine.

the plant depend upon two alkaloids, one crystallizable, termed hyoscyamine (CHNO3), isomeric with atropine; the other an amorphous, brown liquid, to which Ladenburg has given the name of hyoscine, and which, though isomeric with hyoscyamine, differs from it very materially. Hyoscyamine can be split into tropic acid and tropine, hyoscine into tropic acid and pseudotropina; and both alkaloids unite with acids to form salts. Effects and Uses.-The effects of henbane on the system much

resemble those of belladonna. They differ from those of opium in their comparatively feeble hypnotic effect, and in their relaxing influence on the bowels. In large doses it causes dilatation of the pupil, delirium, loss of vision, and, generally, sleep. Hyoscyamine, when pure, is identical in its action with atropine, and recent researches have shown that hyoscine is the hypnotic principle of henbane, and antagonizes pilocarpine (A. Sohrt). They are both

eliminated by the kidneys.* Dr. White† describes the case of a woman who took fɔ̃xj of the tincture by mistake for black draught; she became immediately giddy, then delirious, with much dryness of the throat, but eventually recovered. In cases of poisoning, the same general treatment is to be pursued as for belladonna, from which it cannot be distinguished. According to Gnauck morphine is the best antidote. Henbane may be used remedially in the same diseases as belladonna and stramonium, than which it is, however, less active. It has been administered also in insomnia, where opium is objectionable from its constipating or nauseating influence, and as a hypnotic to children. The extract is frequently added to purgative pills to increase their efficiency and prevent griping. Externally, hyoscyamus is employed in the form of cataplasm or fomentation to painful swell ings and ulcers, and hyoscyamine sulphate may be used to dilate the pupil, in the same manner as belladonna.

Dose of the powder, gr. v-x; of the abstract, gr. ss-ij. Tincture (15 per cent.), dose, f5j. An alcoholic extract (a preparation of uncertain strength-dose gr. ij, increased until some effect is produced) and a fluid extract (dose gtt. x-xx) are also officinal.

HYOSCYAMINÆ SULPHAS (Hyoscyamine Sulphate) occurs in the form of small, yellowish-white scales or crystals, or a yellowishwhite powder, deliquescent on exposure to the air, without smell, but possessing an acrid, bitter taste. It is very soluble in water and alcohol. Hyoscyamine is useful in chorea and various forms of tremor,§ in the dose of gr. hypodermically. It is highly recommended by Lawson, and confirmed by Brown,|| to quiet the violence of mania, though without curative effect. The dose has been variously stated by different authors, due, evidently, to the variable purity of the drug; as, however, gr. 16 of the pure alkaloid has produced violent poisoning,¶ it is better to begin with gr. 16, and gradually increase the dose until some effect is produced.

*Arch. für Experimentelle Pathol. und Pharmacol., Vol. XXII, R. Kobert und A. Sohrt; Arch. de Physiologie Norm. et Pathologique, t. iii, 1870, p. 215. De l'Hyosciamine et de l'daturine par Oulmont et Laurent.

+ Lancet, July, 1873, p. 8.

Med. News, Jan., 1886. Da Costa.

Arch. de Neurologie, July, 1883. || Brit. Med. Jour., November 25th, 1882.

¶ Lancet, 1879, I, 474.