COMMON ASAUABACCA.

779

(!> S .I 1u pils (Wibmer, Arznehn. it. Gifte, Bd. i. S. 221; also, Journ. deMed. t. vii. p. 493).

c 11 small doses, serpentary promotes the appetite. Tn large doses, itfr e , Ses nau sea, flatulence, uneasy sensation at the stomach, and moreq but not liquid stools. After its absorption, it increases the f're-

))r an cy and fulness of the pulse, augments the heat of the skin, andtli e ,n °*' es secretion and exhalation. Furthermore it would appear, fromexperiments before referred to, that it caused disturbance of thefie l ^ functions, and produces headache, sense of oppression withinj sk ull, and disturbed sleep.

\ v ® Ihese properties, serpentary bears some analogy to, but is much.j er than, camphor. It is more powerful than contrayerva.ft SEs -'—Its employment is indicated in cases of torpor and atony.c Un' aS fonnerl y termed alexipharmic, on account of its fancied power ofioflM l ^ le bite of the rattlesnake and of a mad dog (Dale, Pharmaco-c ste ll |e present time it is rarely employed. It has been much

s c ^’fied as a stimulant in fevers, both continued and intermittent. AS V(1 Ple of serpentary, taken in three ounces of wine, is mentioned byr ^n (J llam Rories, translated by Dr. Pechey, 4tli ed. p. 233) as a cheap

l as

y for tertians in poor people. Dr. Cullen {Mat. Med.) considered(J e . Sl hted for the low and advanced stage of typhus only. In an epi-f;iv a l uffection of the throat (called the throat-distemper), it wasinternally as a diaphoretic, and used with sumach berries, in thev 0 ] . a decoction, as a gargle, with benefit {Med. Observ. and Inquir.^ P-211).

thai iII: '' ISTRATI0N .—l’i ie dose of it in substance is from ten to thirtyl) eil R s. The infusion is the best form for the administration of ser-

1

Lary.

Oj" Seupentarije, L. E.—Serpentary, Sss.; Boiling Water ,

[h infuse for four hours in a [lightly, L.\ covered vessel, and straina C( . ° R gh linen or calico, E. ] Dose, fSj. or fjij. every two or three hours,2 ding to circumstances.

(l e ' •* JHctura Serpentarije, L. E. D.—Serpentary, bruised, [in mo-[ 0j a <% fine powder, E.], Siijss. L. [jij. E. Jiij. D.] ; Proof Spirit, Oij.fi.] "V'd 3xvj.; Cochineal, bruised, 3j. E.]. Macerate for fourteen [seven,litl i, ,la y s , and filter. “ Proceed by percolation or digestion as for theftg., d, r<; of cinchona,” E. Used as an adjunct to tonic infusions. Dose,1 f5 J- to f 5 ij.

As'arum europai'um, Linn. L. D.— Common Asarabac'ca.

Sex. Si/st. Dodecandria, Monogynia.j j (Folia, L. B.)

C °fideJ?uvT This l )lant was used in medicine by the ancients. Dios-]] df (lib i., cap ix.) calls it aaapov.

t\Vei v AKY ‘ Gen. Char. — Calyx campanulate, three-1 obed. Stamens l nserted on the ovary: anthers adnate to the middle of the filaments.Sp S ^° r t* Stigma stellate, six-lobed. Capsule six-celled. ( Bot. Gall.)''fiat' y ilAR -— Leaves two on each stem, kidney-shaped, obtuse [soir.e-'riiB-'’]- .(Smith, En g. FI.)

Th e e branching root-fibres arise from an underground stem or rhizome.Ui e ac ^* a l stems are several from each rhizome. Leaves petioled. Fromx fi of the two leaves springs a solitary, rather large, drooping flower,