an early period, we may expect to find these remains both in the vomited matter and in the alvine evacuations. Mr. Wilmer mentions an instance in which the black husks appeared in the stools brought away by laxatives at least thirty hours after the poison was swallowed.[1] One of Mr. Brumwell's patients vomited the seeds towards the close of the third day.[2] Several patients of M. Boucher vomited fragments of the fruit on the second day, and passed more by stool and injections on the third, although they had been treated with activity from the commencement.[3]
While most of the cases of poisoning with belladonna have originated in accident, at the same time they have not been all of this description. Gmelin has quoted an instance of intentional and fatal poisoning by the juice of the berries being mixed with wine; and another singular case of poisoning with the decoction of the buds, given by an old woman for the purpose of committing theft during the stupor of the individual.[4]
Other species of atropa are probably similar to belladonna in properties. Wibmer quotes a single instance of frantic delirium occurring among several shepherds, as well as their cattle, from eating the herb of the A. mandragora.[5] This is well known to have been used anciently as a medicinal narcotic. Of Poisoning with Thorn-Apple.
The thorn-apple, or Datura stramonium, is another plant of the same natural order, which it is proper to notice, because people have often been poisoned with it, and it has become a common ornament of our gardens. The cases of poisoning which have occurred in recent times in this country have been all accidental. But not long ago the thorn-apple appears to have been extensively used in Germany to cause loss of consciousness and lethargy, preparatory to the commission of various crimes.[6] It was also proved to have been used lately in France for this purpose. Some thieves made a man insensible with wine in which stramonium seeds had been steeped, and robbed him of five hundred francs while in this state. For twenty-four hours the victim knew nothing of what became of him; he was met wandering in a wood, affected with delirium, unconsciousness, staring of the eyes, and oppression of the breathing; and for some time he was taken for a madman.[7] In the Eastern Archi-*
- ↑ On Vegetable Poisons, p. 21
- ↑ Med. Obs. and Inq. vi. 224.
- ↑ Roux's Journ. de Méd. xxiv. 317.
- ↑ Geschichte des Pflanzengifte, 527.
- ↑ Die Wirkung der Arzneimittel, &c. i. 378.
- ↑ Gmelin, Geschichte der Pflanzengifte, 416. As examples of such crimes he mentions the following. Diebe und Huren um ihr Verbrechen desto ungehinderter zu begehen, wenn sie die Leute damit eingeschläfert haben; Hurenwirthinnen, um in ihren gemietheten Mägdchen alles Gefühl der natürlichen Schaam zu ersticken; alte Hurer um junge Mägdchen zu verführen; Missethäter um ihre Wächter sinnlos zu machen; Ehebrecherinnen, um ihre Männer zu ruhigen Zuschauern ihrer Schandthaten zu machen. For most of these purposes gin and whisky are the instruments of villany in Britain; and of late, as already mentioned, opium has been resorted to.
- ↑ Journal de Chimie Médicale, 1836, 319.
