HENBANE, a dangerous plant (Hyoscya mu: niger) of the family Solcrnacece, which contains the tobacco, stramonium and other plants abounding in narcotic poisons. The black henbane (H. niger) is a species of the Mediterranean region, and springs up in waste places throughout Great Britain and rarely in the eastern United States, where it has become naturalized. It is an annual, somewhat bushy, about two feet high, with large sinuate or sharply lobed, sessile leaves and large dingy yellow flowers with purplish veins. The whole plant is covered with unctuous hairs and has a nauseous smell. The seeds contain in largest quantity the specific alkaloid hyoscyamin, which crystallizes in stellate acicular crystals of a silky lustre. The symptoms of poisoning by henbane are similar to those produced by other narcotic poisons, and the proper treatment is the same as in cases of poisoning by opium. In
medicine henbane is employed both externally and internally. The leaves are the part com monly used; they are gathered and quickly dried when the plant is in full flower. Fomen tations of henbane are applied to painful glandular swellings, parts affected with neu ralgia, etc., and are often found to afford re lief. An extract of henbane is sometimes em ployed instead of belladonna to dilate the pupil of the eye. Tincture and extract of henbane are often administered in cases of annoying cough, spasmodic asthma and other diseases re quiring sedatives and anti-spasmodics. For many cases it has one great advantage over laudanum, in not producing constipation. The other species of henbane possess similar prop erties. The dried stalks of H. albus are used by smoking in Greece to allay toothache.