Black henbane (Hyoscyamus niger) was featured (low right) in this Italian-language version of the Poisonous Plant series of trade cards advertising Liebig’s Extract of Meat. Henbane’s flower (high left) and fruit (high right) are also depicted on this card as distributed by the company linked to chloroform pioneer Justus von Liebig. Because hogs could eat henbane with apparent impunity, Greek hyos kyamos (“hog bean”) passed to Latin as hyoscyamus and evolved over centuries into the Italian giusquiamo, which is printed twice on this card. Originally, the plant was henbell (“death bell”) in Old English, bell was replaced with bane yielding henbane (“death murder”). Later authorities tried to back-interpret henbane as “fowl murder.” What remains clear is how dangerous herbal preparations or oils of henbane can be, easily overdosing victims with deadly slurries of scopolamine, atropine, and hyoscyamine. (Copyright © the American Society of Anesthesiologists’ Wood Library-Museum of Anesthesiology.)
Black henbane (Hyoscyamus niger) was featured (low right) in this Italian-language version of the Poisonous Plant series of trade cards advertising Liebig’s Extract of Meat. Henbane’s flower (high left) and fruit (high right) are also depicted on this card as distributed by the company linked to chloroform pioneer Justus von Liebig. Because hogs could eat henbane with apparent impunity, Greek hyos kyamos (“hog bean”) passed to Latin as hyoscyamus and evolved over centuries into the Italian giusquiamo, which is printed twice on this card. Originally, the plant was henbell (“death bell”) in Old English, bell was replaced with bane yielding henbane (“death murder”). Later authorities tried to back-interpret henbane as “fowl murder.” What remains clear is how dangerous herbal preparations or oils of henbane can be, easily overdosing victims with deadly slurries of scopolamine, atropine, and hyoscyamine. (Copyright © the American Society of Anesthesiologists’ Wood Library-Museum of Anesthesiology.)
George S. Bause, M.D., M.P.H., Honorary Curator and Laureate of the History of Anesthesia, Wood Library-Museum of Anesthesiology, Schaumburg, Illinois, and Clinical Associate Professor, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio. UJYC@aol.com.
