Arizona weekly citizen., 1886-10-23
THREE pUFiL-DlLATiNoeolsoNs.
Characteristics of Peculiar Group The symtoms They Produco-Rsm.

Characteristics of a Peculiar Group The symtoms They Produco-Ren- edies.
 There Is a peculiar group of polsous
 whose action is to dnAte the pupils in stead of contracting them, like opium, to arrest the secretions of the skin, 10 stimu- late the brain, causing delirium, and par
 alyze the ends of the nerves of motion; to stimulate the spinal cord and then paraI- yze 1t; to increase the action of the heart and then to bring it to a stand-still These drugs are belladonna (the deadly night shadel, hyoscysmus, (henbanel, and stramOnium (-jimSon weed' or thorn applel. These all act alike, but vary in strength, the order in which they have been named being that of their destructive qualities They allay pain, but not to the same extent as opium, and induce sleep to some degree.
 The symptoms produced are alike. and are as follows, when given in poisonous doses; Heat and dryness of the mouth and throat, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, indis- tinct or double vision, delirium. great eX- citement, convulsions followed by stupor and inconsistencies. The pupils of the eyes are dilated to their utmost, and light does not affect them. The face is red dened with an eruption similar tO that of scarlet fever; the eyes are fixed and brilliant; the gait is tottering; and the de- hrium Is such as to cause silly talk and frequent bursts of causeless laughter. The berries, root and leaves of belladonna have each caused fatal poisoning. The active principle, atrOpine, is an extremely powerful drug. producing the same ef- fects when taken in very minute doses. Poisoning may result from applying a belladOnna plaster to the akin, especially if the surface is broken Most cases of helladOnnR poisoning result from mis takes in prescribing or administering remedies. Its use by criminals is rare.
 Stamonium, or -iimson weed, is such common plant and accessible to every one that poisoning from the careles swallowing of its seeds is not at all uncommon. Scarcely year passes but some child dies from this cause in our city. The authorities are certainly responsible for such accidents, as it would be an easy matter to cause every plant of the kind to be destroyed before the seeds have matured. In India a similar plant Is often made use of by the Thugs tO render their victims help less. The symptoms are the same as those of belladonna poisoning. It Is likely that some of the -drugging' employed by the professional thieves in this country s done with preparations of stramonium seeds.
 Henbane (hyoscyamus) is poisonous tn every part. Leaves, roots and seeds pro duce effects like those observed after poisoning by belladonna but the dose re quired tO produce such results is much larger. Twenty of the seeds have been known to produce poisoning, and the same may be said of the ~jimson weed"
 The treatment of poisoning by any Of these three plants is to remove all that may remain in the stomach by the most prompt and effective emetics; in case these do not act, the stomach tube must be | brought into use. Then give castor oil to remove any of the poisonous materials that may have passed beyond the stom ach. As there Is no trustworthy chemical antidote, morphine may be given eau tiously on account of its action being Op posed in most particulars to that of these | pOisOns. Coffee and alcohol should be given if the heart becomes very weak, as shown by the pulse. Animal charcoal and tannin have been given, although there do not appear to be any very good reasons for administering them.-COr Globe Democrat