88 BOTROPHIS. Xo. 16. 



mountains and sunny glades, very rare in moist and 

 vvampy soils. 



4 



QuALiTiJss-^The root and plant have rather an un- 

 pleasant smell, and a disagreeable nauseous taste, 

 Schoepf considers it as nearly poisonous^ and to be 

 used with caution, yet powerful and heroic. It has 

 not been analyzed, but appears to contain extractive 

 and a fetid oil. 



i 



PROPERTIES — Astringent, diuretic, sudorific, 

 anodyne, repellent, emenagogue, subtonic, &c. It is 

 an article of the materia medica of the Indians, much 

 used by them in rheumatism, and also in facilitating 

 parturition, whence its name of Squaw-root. It has 

 been found useful in sore-throat, as a gargle : also in 

 dropsy, hysterics and psora, in decoction alone, or 

 ^nited with Sanguinaria Canadensis. It is a bene- 

 ficial auxiliary in the treatment of acute and chronic 

 rheumatism. It is used by the Indian doctors for 

 agues and fevers, vvlilcli it inures like Eupatorhm 

 j)erfoUatum, by a profuse perspiration. Yellow fe- 

 ver is said to have been cured by it, after an emetic 

 had been taken. 



This is one of the numerous Indian cures for the- 

 biles of snakes: they use the rwt chewed and ap- 

 plied to the wound ; but they consider the Eryn^ 



urn 



Sr E. yuccefoUum ( 



root, or Rattle-snake flag) as by far more powerful 

 and efficient. A decoction of the root cures the itch! 

 It IS useful for the diseases of horses and cattle, is said 

 topurge them, expel their worms and cure the mur- 

 ram, givrn as a drench.. » 



I 



