injury. The modern name, Belladonna, refers to the practice of the Italian belles, who make use of its properties to enhance their personal charms. A portion of the extract, when placed in contact with the pupil of the eye, causes it to dilate, and gives a brilliancy and lustre to these speaking orbs, which is much coveted and admired. I am told that this practice is not confined to the land of cloudless skies and southern breezes, but that in our own country the preparation is to be seen on the toilette-tables of our fashionable ladies. Happily this property is turned to good account by modern science, and in examinations of the eye it is found to be of great service in dilating the pupil, as well as previous to the operation for cataract. Numberless are the instances where death has ensued from partaking of this plant or its berries. The very powerful nature of its poisonous qualities has directed the attention of modern professors of Materia Medica towards it, and at this time it is considered to be a valuable medicinal agent. A medical friend of ours, enthusiastic in the discovery of hidden truth, not long ago nearly fell a victim to his own experiments on the action of an extract of the leaves of Atropa Belladonna. He had previously made known his belief that animal charcoal is the best and safest antidote to vegetable poisons. He was, however, too much under the influence of the poison to think of his own remedy, and it was only by the timely interference of a friend, who knew of the

discovery, that his life was saved. It is a favourite remedy in homoeopathic medicine; but as the doses given are inappreciable, it would be difficult to trace any results from their administration. The poisonous properties of this plant have long been known, as appears from its having been used by the Scotch under Macbeth to poison the Danes. Our great poet Shakespeare, with his wonderful appreciation of natural phenomena, refers, undoubtedly, to the same plant in Banquo's speech,—“ Or have we eaten of the insane root that takes the reason prisoner?" Paroxysms of madness are among the curious and direful effects of this plant on the system, to which it is supposed Plutarch refers in his account of the strange and disastrous results produced on Marc Antony's soldiers "from tasting unknown herbs" when distressed for provisions.

To the same genus of plants belong the Mandrakes, Atropa Mandragora, the roots of which are superstitiously connected with numerous fancies, and are still sold on the continent of Europe as ingredients in love-philtres and charms. Some writers recognize them as the mandrakes of Scripture.

WOODY NIGHTSHADE, OR BITTER-SWEET.

SOLANUM DULCAMARA.

THIS belongs to the same family of plants as our last example, and is believed to have the same poisonous properties, in both fruit, leaves, and stem. This has, however, been disputed of late, and the Professor of Materia Medica at University College considers all the Solanums as perfectly innocuous. It has a shrubby stem, with climbing or strangling branches, often many feet in length, but dying far back in the winter. The leaves are stalked, ovate, or lanceolate, two or three inches long, usually broadly cordate at the base and entire, but sometimes with an additional smaller lobe or segment on each side, either quite smooth or downy on both sides, as well as the stem. The flowers are rather small, blue, with yellow anthers, in loose branches, shorter than the leaves. The berries are small, round, or ovoid, and of a bright red colour. It is to be found in hedges in shady moist situations, all over England and Ireland-more rarely in Scotland. As a medicine, this plant has been used both internally and externally; it is recommended in asthma and many other diseases.