To that alert physician Dr. Stoerck1 we are indebted for the introduction of datura stramonium in the cure of epilepsy, mania, and some other convulsive conditions. In 1797 Cooper2 employed the drug at the Pennsylvania Hospital, Philadelphia, for the relief of mania, epilepsy and certain fevers. Since then stramonium has been used particularly for those ailments and also for headache, insomnia and muscular rheumatism.
In recent years stramonium has been employed in the treatment of parkinsonism, especially the postencephalitic type. In 1925 Juster3 reported his results with stramonium and its effect on parkinsonian rigidity. He used datura stramonium, recommending the drug as the "daily bread" of parkinsonian patients. The next year Laignal-Levastine and Valence4 reported their results with stramonium, the same form used by Juster. They noticed diminution or abolishment of rigidity and tremor, bradykinesia and excessive salivation, and were impressed with the improved mental attitude