PODOPHYLLUM PELTATUM. 
tained by boiling the root with quicklime in water, straining 
the decoction, precipitating the lime with sulphate of zinc, 
evaporating the clear solution to the consistence of an ex- 
tract, treating this with cold alcohol of 0.817, filtering and 
evaporating the alcoholic solution, and treating the residue 
with boiling distilled water, which deposits the bitter principle 
on cooling. 
The dried root is in pieces about two lines in thickness, 
with swelling, broad, flattened joints at short intervals. It is 
much wrinkled lengthwise, is yellowish or reddish-brown ex- 
ternally, and furnished with fibres of a similar but somewhat 
paler color. The fracture is short and irregular, and the inter- 
nal coloris whitish. The powder is light yellowish-gray, resem- 
bling that of jalap. The root in its aggregate state is nearly 
inodorous, but in powder has a sweetish and not unpleasant 
smell. The taste is at first sweetish, afterwards bitter, muceous, 
and slightly acrid. The decoction and tincture are bitter. 
The PopopuHyLLUm PELTATUM is always considered an ac- 
tive and certain cathartic, producing copious liquid discharges 
without much griping or other unpleasant effects. It has a 
peculiar effect upon all the secretions and excretions, stimu- 
lating them to a healthy action, and often answers the pur- 
pose of removing obstructions without any bad effects what- 
ever. In some cases it has given rise to nausea and even 
vomiting, but the same result is occasionally experienced from 
every active cathartic. In its action upon the bowels its oper- 
ation resembles that of jalap, but it is rather slower, and by 
some it is supposed to be more drastic. It extends its influ- 
ence through every part of the system, touching every gland 
when given in small doses and repeated every two or three 
hours, while large doses evacuate and exhaust the system. 
The cases to which May Appte is particularly adapted are 
of an inflammatory character, especially at the commence- 
ment, where brisk purging is required. It is very highly 
spoken of by many eminent writers, who have tested. its eff- 
cacy, and they recommend its employment in bilious fever 
and hepatic congestions. For these purposes it has been 
much used in various parts of the country, and with the most 
happy effects. In dropsical affections, and in rheumatic and 
scrofulous complaints, the supertartrate of potassa is a useful 
addition, by which the action of both is reciprocally improved. 
It is crise as a vermifuge in teaspoonful doses, and re- 
Some physicians recommend the powdered root as an es- 
charotic to cleanse foul and ill-conditioned ulcers, and dispose 
them to heal, and to promote the exfoliation or removal of ca- 
rious or rotten bones. The powder should be sprinkled on 
the affected part once in from two to five days. It is also said 
to destroy proud-flesh ——? injury to the sound parts. 
