(Pentandria Monogynia. _Nat. Ord._ Luridæ _Linn._ Solanaceæ. _Juss._)
This plant is an indigenous perennial, found in many parts of Great
Britain, particularly in shady places where the soil is calcareous, in
large ditches, and on the edge of hilly woods; flowering in June, and
ripening its berries in September. Every part of the plant is poisonous;
and numerous instances have occurred where children, and the ignorant,
or those suffering from hunger, allured by the beautiful and tempting
appearance of the berries, have fallen victims to their deadly power.
The root of this plant partakes also of the same qualities as the leaves
and berries, but is perhaps less virulent.
“Or have we eaten of the _insane root_,
That takes the reasoner prisoner.”—_Macbeth._
The inspissated juice (_Extractum Belladonnæ Pharm. Lond._) is also
extremely poisonous, when properly prepared; but, as usually met with in
commerce, it is of very variable strength; when prepared according to
the improved process of _Mr. Barry_, its activity is so considerable
that a dose of two grains is followed by unpleasant effects. (_See an
account of its effects in the Pharmacologia_, _vol._ 2, _p._ 199.) _M.
Brandes_ has lately ascertained that the active principle of this plant
is a peculiar alkaline body, to which he has assigned the name of
_atropia_.
_Symptoms of poisoning by Belladonna._
Shortly after the ingestion of the berries, leaves, or root, of this
plant, the patient complains of extreme dryness of the lips, tongue,
palate, and throat; the deglutition becomes difficult, and the pupil of
the eye immoveably dilated; nausea, rarely followed by vomiting;
symptoms of intoxication succeed, accompanied with fits of laughter,
dreadful ravings, violent gestures of the body, and continual motion of
the hands and fingers; sometimes the patient sinks into a state of
fatuity, but rarely of stupor; redness and tumefaction of the face, a
low and feeble pulse, paralysis of the intestines, livid spots on
different parts of the body, profuse sweats, convulsions, and death. In
the cases where recovery has taken place, there has been an insensible
restoration to health and reason, without any recollection of the
preceding state.
_Physiological action of Belladonna._
The results of the experiments of _Orfila_ authorise us to arrange the
nightshade under the second division of our classification; for it is
evidently absorbed, carried into the circulation, and is thus enabled to
act upon the nervous system, and particularly on the brain. At the same
time it exerts a local action upon the stomach, although less violent
than that occasioned by the acrid poisons. It, moreover, appears on some
occasions to act directly through the medium of the nerves, like those
substances which constitute our first class; or else how shall we
explain the fact of the pupil of the eye becoming permanently dilated,
by the contact of the belladonna with the tunica conjunctiva? It would,
therefore, appear that this plant unites within itself all the three
great modes of action, upon which we have attempted to found our
physiological arrangement of poisons, as expressed by the tabular
classification at page 207.
_Organic lesions discovered on dissection._
The bodies of those who have perished by belladonna, are extremely prone
to decomposition; they soon putrefy, swell remarkably, and are covered
with livid spots; blood flows from the mouth, nose, and eyes, and the
stench is insufferable. The stomach and intestines will sometimes
display extensive marks of inflammation, extending in some cases to the
mesentery and liver; and several cases are recorded in which the stomach
appeared ulcerated. The lungs are usually found livid, gorged with
venous blood, and studded with black spots; the heart has been also
observed to be livid.
_Modes of detecting the presence of Belladonna._
Where the berries of this plant have been swallowed, we shall generally
detect them in the matter vomited; or, in the event of death, in the
stomach, on dissection, for they would appear to be very indigestible;
in a case of poisoning by this plant, recorded in the history of the
French Academy for the year 1706,[443] the stomach was found to contain
some berries of the belladonna crushed, and some seeds. Where the
quantity of the plant is sufficient, we may proceed to identify it, by
obtaining _atrophia_[444] from it. For this purpose, the leaves, or the
crushed berries, or any other part of the suspected plant, must be
boiled in distilled water; the decoction must then be pressed out, and
filtered; after the albumen has been thrown down by a little sulphuric
acid, potass must be added as long as any precipitate is produced; when
the precipitate is to be washed in pure water, re-dissolved in muriatic
acid, and re-precipitated by ammonia. This last result will be
_atropia_. It is white, and collects in acicular crystals, insipid,
little soluble in cold water, or even in alcohol, but very soluble in
this latter fluid at a boiling temperature, from which, however, it is
deposited on cooling.