[144] One hundred and fifty French soldiers were thus poisoned at Pirna, near Dresden. (Orfila, ‘Tox. Gén.’)
[145] Of 2027 persons who took it, and were exposed to the contagion of scarlet fever, 1948 escaped. (Bayle, ‘Bibl. Thérap.,’ t. ii. p. 504.) Of 1200 soldiers who took it only 12 became affected. (Oppenheim, ‘Lond. Med. Gaz,’ vol. xiii, 814.) In this country, however, except among homœopaths, it has not found much favour as a prophylactic.
Pois., &c. Belladonna and its preparations are poisonous to all animals, but very much more so to the carnivora than to the herbivora. It also acts as a poison on vegetables.
Treatm. Ant., &c. These may be the same as those employed in poisoning by aconite, atropia, and opium. The stomach must be cleared as soon as possible, followed by active purgation. Unfortunately emetics have scarcely any action, and, therefore, must be given in large doses, assisted by tickling the fauces, &c. If copious vomiting does not rapidly follow, the stomach-pump may be had recourse to. When the poison has been removed from the stomach, copious and continued draughts of astringent vegetable solutions (weak decoction of galls or oak-bark, or strong coffee or green-tea), should be persisted in for some time; followed by like draughts of water soured with any mild vegetable acid (as vinegar, lemon-juice, citric or tartaric acid, &c.) Detec. The contents of the stomach or vomited matter may be searched for the berries, leaves, seed, or portions of the root; all of which are easily recognisable. The usual physiological and chemical tests of atropia may also be applied to these and to the organic liquids supposed
to contain the poison. See Alkaloid, Atropia, Extracts, Ointments, Tinctures, Vegetable Juices, &c.
BELLADONNINE. Syn. Atropia, which see.
BELL′Y (-e). The abdomen (which see).
BELTS. In their connection with health and disease, see Bandage, Dress, Stays, &c.
BENEDICTINE’S HEALING-PLASTER (Hauber). 35 grammes of a dark brown plaster, prepared by digesting together 1 part litharge with 2 parts olive oil until they become blackish-brown, then adding 4 parts yellow wax, containing the heat for a short time, and then pouring out. (Wittstein.)
BENGAL′ (-gawl′). A thin fabric of silk and hair interwoven, originally from Bengal.