VIRGINIA SNAKEROOT. 85 
two extremities, having its throat surrounded by 
an elevated edge or brim, and its border expanded 
into a broad irregular margin, forming an upper 
and under lip, which are closed in a triangular 
manner in the bud. The anthers are twelve in 
number, growing in pairs to the sides of the 
fleshy style, which is situated in the bottom of 
the corolla, and covered by a firm, spreading 
convoluted stigma, which extends over the an- 
thers. The capsule is obovate, six cpanel six 
celled, with numerous small flat seeds. 
Snakeroot has a penetrating, rather agreea- 
ble, resinous smell, and a pungent bitter taste, 
resembling somewhat that of the Pinus Canaden- 
sis, or Hemlock spruce. It communicates its 
qualities both to spirit and water, but most to’ the 
former. 1 subjected a quantity of the root to 
distillation for one hour, and obtained in the re- 
ceiver a whitish pearly fluid, very strongly im- 
pregnated with the aroma, but less bitter than 
the root. On standing twenty four hours, this 
fluid deposited round the edges of the surface a 
considerable number of smali white erystals, 
which proved to be pure camphor. They were 
inflammable, fusible with a sudden, and volatile 
with a gradual heat. 1 perceived no essential 
oil, though Dr. Lewis informs us, that if the 
