No. 8. AHAtXA. 55 



south : it delights in deep woods, shady groves and 



valleys, good* soils, &c. 



Qualities — The whole plant is balsamic, fragrant, 

 and has a warm aromatic sweetish taste ; most un- 

 folded in the root and berries* They contain muci- 

 lage, aroma, and an essential milky oil or balsam. 



PROPERTIES— All the Spikenards or Aralias 

 are popular medical plants throughout the United 

 States : they made part of the Materia Medica of the 

 native tribes, and are extensively used by country 

 practitioners. They are vulnerary, pectoral, sudori- 

 fic, stimulant, diaphoretic, cordial, depurative, &c. 

 The roots and berries are most efficient ; in •/?• spi- 

 nosa the bark. 



The roots bruised or chewed, or in poultice, are 

 used for all kinds of wounds and ulcers by the In- 

 dians. Fomentations and cataplasms are useful for 

 cutaneous affections, erysipels and ring-worms* An 

 infusion or a decoction of the same, are efficient sub- 

 stitutes for those of SarsapariUa, (and more powerful,) 

 in all diseases of the blood, syphilitic complaints, 

 chronical rheumatism, local pains, cardialgy, belly- 

 ache, &c. As a pectoral both roots and berries may 

 be used in syrups, cordials, decoctions, Sec. and have 

 -been found useful in coughs, catarrh, cachexia, lan- 

 gour, pains in the breast, &c» The cordial of Spike- 

 nard berries is recommended for the gout, and the 

 juice or essentia] oil for the ear ache and deafness. 



Substitutes— All the Aralias— Elder— Sarsapa- 

 riUa — Guayac — Angelica-root— Cw/ieVa mariana 

 Sassafras~Ginseng~£:r^7^o•^MW aquaticum — Xan 



