PHARMACOPCEIAL VEGETABLE DRUGS.

KRAMERIA

The shrub Krameria triandra is native to the bare and sandyslopes of the Bolivian and Peruvian Cordilleras, gfowing at from3,000 to 8,000 feet above sea level. It is often found in great abun-dance, standing in solid beds scarcely a foot high, and peculiarly at-tractive by reason of its silver-gray foliage and starlike flowers. Theroot of commerce comes from the north and east of Lima, and thenorthern part of Peru. The Spanish botanist Hipolito Ruiz (562, 563),in 1784, observed the native women of Huanuco and Lima using thisdrug as a tooth preservative and an astringent. On his return toEurope, in 1796, he introduced the root into Spain, and from thatcountry it gradually spread throughout Europe. The first that reachedEngland, however, was as part of the cargo of a Spanish prize, a partof which came into the hands of Dr. Reece (540), who recommendedit to the profession, 1806, in his Medicinal and Chirurgical Review,London. There are other species and kinds of rhatany, one being in-vestigated by the writer of this article some years ago, as found inFlorida, the qualities of which could scarcely be distinguished fromthose of the astringent South American drug. This drug was alsonoticed by Dr. E. M. Hall, of Chicago, a well-known Homoeopathicauthor. Seemingly the species of rhatany are all of similar nature andare dependent upon a kindly, astringent, red tannate.

LACTUCARIUM

Several species of lactuca, native to the Old World, yield thejuice which, when dried, is known as Lactucarium, an extract knownalso under _ the name Lettuce Opium. The fact that lettuce eatenfrequently induces drowsiness, was known in ancient times, and itsreputation in this direction led Dr. Coxe (171), of Philadelphia, tosuggest the collecting of the juice, after the manner employed in themaking of opium. His experiments were published in 1799 under thetitle "Lettuce Opium." Since that date others writing on the subjectcreated quite a demand for the lactucarium thus produced. It willbe seen that the introduction of this substance to mediane camethrough usual empirical Channels.

LAPPA, (BURDOCK)

This widely distributed plant known under several botanical names,such as Lappa minor (De Candolle) Lappa major (Gaertner) andLappa tomentosa (Lamarck) is now official as Arctium Lappa. Thecommercial name Burdock seems, however, so expressive as to havebecome an universal appellation, and needs no Interpretation.

The root of this plant has been ever used in its native haunts, whichcover much of Africa, Europe, and adjacent lands. Like the honey-bee it follows civilization, and like the English sparrow craves theCompany of man. Its burr journeys with man into all inhabited coun-tries, and whether or not it be a welcome guest, its broad leaves are

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