part ii. Materia Medica. — Gardemu'nepratensis. 211

Medicalproperties and uses. — Charcoal is evidently an anti-septic; and as such has been given internally to correct theputrid eructations of some kinds of dyspepsia. But, in orderthat it may produce this effect, it should either be newly pre-pared, or such as has been preserved in very well stoppedbottles. It is probable that it operates both by correcting thefoetor, and absorbing the gas generated in the stomach, as wellas checking the decomposition of the undigested aliment. Dr.Caliagno, an Italian physician, proposed to employ it insteadof cinchona in intermittents'; but this suggestion has not beensupported by British practitioners. It has been applied ad-vantageously mixed up in powder with boiled bread, or linseedmeal and water, as a poultice to foul ulcers and gangrenoussores j and it is, undoubtedly, the best tooth-powder known. Ihave discovered that it is also an excellent test for arsenic.(See the article Arsenic.)

The dose of charcoal may be from gr. x. to 3j., combinedwith rhubarb.

CARD AMINE. Spec. Plant. Willd. iii. 481.CI. 15. Ord. 2. Tetradynamia Siliquosa. Nat ord. Siliquosne.G. 1237. Pods opening elasticalJy, with revolute valves. Stigma

entire. Calyx somewhat gaping.*** With pinnate leaves.Sp.19. C. pratensis. 2 Cuckow Flower. Med. Bot. 2d edit. 396*.

t. 133. Smith's Flora Britan. ii. 699.Officinal. Cardamines Flores, Lond. Edin. Cardamine; flos,Dub. The flowers and leaves of Cuckow Flower.Syn. Cresson de Pres (F.), Weissenkresse (G.)

Cuckow flower is a perennial, indigenous, herbaceous plant,which grows in moist meadows, and flowers in April and May.The root is tuberous, and somewhat toothed. The stem risesabout nine inches in height, is erect, smooth, stiffish, somewhatangular, and a little branched at the top: the leaves are dark-green, pinnated; the radical ones petiolate and spreading; thoseof the stem almost sessile; the leaflets are four pair or more, op-posite, with a terminalone; on the lower leaves they are roundish,and irregularly dentated; but become more entire, linear, pointed,and concave, the nearer they are to the top of the stem. Theflowers terminate the stem in a corymb, and stand upon smoothnaked peduncles. The calyx is yellowish green, composed offour concave, oblong, nearly obtuse, deciduous scales, alter-nately larger, and protuberant at the base : the corolla is cruci-form, the petals large, of a very pale purple colour, or white,ovate, veined, and slightly emarginate; with a yellowish greenbase. The filaments are six, four long, standing above thecorolla, and two short, almost hid, supporting small oblong,

1 Vide London Med. Repos. vol. iii. p. 7.

p 2

* SicvfiSpioy Lrfpov Dioicoridis.