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Salisbury, William, -1823

"The Botanist's Companion, Volume II"

Neither of these ever recovered.

634. DATURA Stramonium. THORN-APPLE.--The seeds and leaves of the
thorn-apple received into the human stomach produce first a vertigo, and
afterwards madness. If the quantity is large, and vomiting is not
occasioned, it will undoubtedly prove fatal. Boerhaave informs us, that
some boys eating some seeds of the thorn-apple which were thrown out of
a garden, were seized with giddiness, horrible imaginations, terrors,
and delirium. Those that did not soon vomit, died.

635. HYOSCYAMUS niger. HENBANE.--Henbane is a very dangerous poison. The
seeds, leaves, and root, received into the human stomach, are all
poisonous.
The root in a superior degree produces sometimes madness; and if taken
in large quantity, and the stomach does not reject it by vomiting, a
stupor and apopleptic symptoms, terminating in death, are the usual
consequences.
A case of the bad effects of the roots of this plant, which occurred in
Ireland, is mentioned by Dr. Threlkeld. In the winter season, some men
working in a garden threw up some roots which were supposed to be
Skirrets, and those were cooked for dinner. About two hours after they
were eaten, a person who partook of them was taken with an unusual
lassitude, as if being much fatigued, heat and dryness both in the mouth
an the throat, a giddiness accompanied with dimness of sight, and a
partial stoppage in his urine.


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