Part II.

Materia Medica.

175

ful of the fresh herb, or a drachm of it in substance, whendried, is said to purge without inconvenience.

Lobelia syphilitica. Ed.

Syngenesia Monogynia. —Nat. ord. Campanacecc.

Blue cardinal flower.

Off.— Radix. The root.

This plant grows in moist places in Virginia, and bears ourwinters. It is perennial, has an erect stalk three or four feethigh, blue flowers, a milky juice, and a rank smell. The rootconsists of white fibres about two inches Jong, resembles to-bacco in its taste, which remains on the tohgue, and is apt toexcite vomiting.

Medical use. —Dr Barton says, that it is considerably diu-retic; and Mr Pearson found, that it generally disagreed withthe stomach, and it seldom failed of affecting the bowels as astrong cathartic. It certainly possesses no power of curingsyphilis; even the Indians, when they have the disease, areglad of an opportunity of applying to the Whites.

Lythrum salicakia. Dub.

Willd. g. 951, sp. 1. Smith, g. 223, sp. I. Dodecandria Mo-nogynia. —Nat. ord. Calycanthema.

Purple-spiked Willowstrife, Loosestrife,

Off.— The herb.

Herba lvthri salicarijE. Dub.

This perennial plant is indigenous, and grows in marshes,and on the banks of rivers. The dried leaves have a herba-ceous taste, somewhat astringent, and when moistened soongive out a ropy mucilage. Hence it is difficult to swallow thepowder mixed with water. An ounce of the plant yielded toSagar three drachms of watery, and only two drachms and24 grains of spiritous extract, and the former was more dis-agreeably austere and exsiccative.

The decoction of this plant has been long celebrated in Ire-land in diarrhoeas. In the same disease, it is a popular reme-dy in Sweden; and De Haen and Stork and others havegiven it with success in laxity of the intestines from an accu-mulation of sordes. After premising a purgative, a drachmor more of the powder may be given morning and evening,or three times a-day. A decoction also of the plant or rootmay be given in diarrhoea or dysentery. Its properties areevidently mucilaginous and astringent.