Eupatorium perfoliatum. 134 
MEDICINAL PROPERTIES. 
Great indeed is the renown of the Eupatorium perfoliatum,as a me- 
dicine, and various as well as powerful are the virtues attributed to it. 
Should a wide extended experience justify, in future, only one-half the 
encomiums which have been lavishly bestowed upon it, it will even 
then be entitled to a distinguished rank in the Materia Medica. It is 
impossible to read the accounts which are given of the virtues and 
effects of this popular medicine, without indulging the belief, that fa- 
vouritism, partiality, or fashion, has had some share in decorating it 
out for public view. Believing as I do, that few plants of our country 
are more deserving of the attention of physicians than this, for its 
real virtues, I regret the too ready adoption from vague rumours, of 
accounts of those which are merely imaginary, and which may lead, 
on the discovery of the error, to limit its use, or to its total rejection 
from practice. Notwithstanding the real, the obviously beneficial ef- 
fects, in curing, or alleviating diseases, or symptoms of diseases, 
which belong to this plant, some of those who have written on its 
properties, have needlessly indulged in a vein of exaggeration, wholly 
incompatible with the reality, and calculated to bring the medicine 
sooner or later into disrepute. I have ventured to speak thus confi- 
dently on this subject, because as it is a favourite article in my own 
practice, I have consequently been Jed to use it frequently and ex- 
