oned by _Belladonna_ berries is the
complete loss of voice, together with frequent bending forward of
the trunk, and continual movements of the hands and fingers.
The Scotch under Macbeth sent bread and wine treacherously
impregnated with this poison to the troops of Sweno.

The plant bears other titles, as "Dwale" (death's herb), "Great
Morel," and "Naughty Man's Cherry." The term "Morel" is applied
to the plant as a diminutive of _mora_, a Moor, on account of the
black-skinned berries. The _Belladonna_ grows especially near the
ruins of monasteries, and is so abundant around Furness Abbey that
this locality has been styled the "Vale of Night Shade."

Hahnemann taught that, acting on the law of similars, Belladonna
given in very small doses of its tincture will protect from the
infection of scarlet fever. He confirmed this fact by experiments on
one hundred and sixty children. When taken by provers in actual
toxic doses the tincture, or the fresh juice, has induced sore throat,
feverishness, and a dry, red, hot skin, just as if symptomatic of
scarlet fever. The plant yields atropine and hyoscyamine from all its
parts. As a drug it specially affects the brain and the bladder. The
berries are known in Buckinghamshire as "Devil's cherries."

[390] NUTMEG, CINNAMON, GINGER, and CLOVES.

The spice box is such a constant source of ready domestic comforts
of a medicinal sort in every household that the more important, and
best known of its contents may well receive some consideration
when treating of Herbal Simples; though it will, of course, be
understood these spices are of foreign growth, and not indigenous
products.

Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Ginger, and Cloves, claim particular notice in
this respect.

"Sinament, Ginger, Nutmeg, and Cloves,
And that gave me my jolly red nose."
_Beaumont and Fletcher_.

Cinnamon possesses positive medicinal as well as aromatic virtues.
What we employ as this spice consists of the inner bark of shoots
from the stocks of a Ceylon tree, first cultivated here in 1768.

Such bark chemically contains cinnamic acid, tannin, a resin, and
sugar, so that its continued use will induce constipation. The
aromatic and stimulating effects of Cinnamon have been long
known. It was freely given in England during the epidemic scourges
of the early and middle centuries, nearly every monastery keeping a
store of the cordial for ready use. The monks administered it in
fever, dysentery,