kill a dog in thirty hours when introduced into the stomach. Half that quantity applied to a wound will kill it in twenty-four hours. And forty grains injected into the jugular vein prove even more quickly fatal. Convulsions are rarely produced, but only a state like intoxication.[1]
The oleaginous atropia of Brandes in a dose of two or three drops kill small birds instantaneously like concentrated hydrocyanic acid; in less doses it occasions staggering, gasping, and in a few minutes death amidst convulsions; and the dead body presents throughout the internal organs great venous turgescence and even extravasation of blood, but more especially excessive congestion within the head.[2] The pure crystalline atropia of Mein, when dissolved in water and greatly diluted, causes extreme and protracted dilatation of the pupils.
Symptoms in Man.—On man the effects of belladonna are much more remarkable. In small doses, whatever be the kind or surface to which it is applied,—such as the skin round the eye, or the surface of a wound, or the inner membrane of the stomach,—it causes dilatation of the pupil. This effect may be excited without any constiitutional derangement. When the extract is rubbed on the skin round the eye, or a solution of it dropped upon the eyeball, vision is not impaired; but when it is taken internally so as to affect the pupils, the sight is commonly much obscured. The effects of large or poisonous doses have been frequently witnessed in consequence of children and adults being tempted to eat the berries by their fine colour and bright lustre. From the cases that have been published the leading symptoms appear in the first instance to be dryness in the throat, then delirium with dilated pupils, and afterwards coma. Convulsions are rare, and, when present, slight.
The dryness of the throat is not a constant symptom. It is often, however, very distinct. It occurred, for example, in 150 soldiers who were poisoned near Dresden, as related by M. Gaultier de Claubry,[3] and in six soldiers whose cases have been described by Mr. Brumwell.[4] The former had not only dryness of the throat, but likewise difficulty in swallowing.
The delirium is generally extravagant, and also most commonly of the pleasing kind, sometimes accompanied with immoderate uncontrollable laughter, sometimes with constant talking, but occasionally with complete loss of voice, as in the cases of the 150 soldiers. At other times the state of mind resembles somnambulism, as in the instance of a tailor who was poisoned with a belladonna injection, and who for fifteen hours, though speechless and insensible to external objects, went through all the customary operations of his trade with great vivacity, and moved his lips as if in conversation.[5] Sometimes frantic delirium is almost the only symptom of consequence throughout the whole duration of the poisoning. Thus a gentleman
