264 , 



roots and Primus, Burson and Eberle prescribe it for chronic 

 asthma and catarrh, aphthous sore throat, rheumatism, tinea 

 capitis, tetters, &c. in consumption it is only a palliative, lesseninjCf 

 the cough and djspnea. The dose of the powder is from twelve 

 to forty grains; an electuary or emulsion are convenient forms. 

 An ointment is made for external use in rheumatism, tinea, &c. 

 The seeds appear to have all the properties of the root with 

 double the strength, and being less liable to lose their activity, 

 ou^ht to become the officinal substitute in half doses. The vulgar 

 names of Wake robin and Devil's nip are also given to this plant. 

 The ja. sequinmn or Dumb Cane of Brazil and the West Indies is 

 used for the yaws, dropsy and gout, for which our Arums might 

 b" perhaps substH\ited. 



12. AsAKUM Cakadense — ^Varieties, 1. Macrophyllum, 2, 

 Ptimilum, 3. Jic%tifolium, I have lately seen this Var. with acute 

 leaves in the Taconick mountains. The Westein Indians use it as a 

 styptic for wounds, and an abortive also. A large dose producer 

 pyrosis and water brash, besides nausea. It may be combined 



with tonics to advantage* 



13. Asci^EPiAsTuBEROSA— Varieties, 1. Frealta, 2. Decum- 

 hens, 3. Undulata, 4. JlngustifoUa, &c. The Southern Indians 

 employ it in dysentery, dropsy and asthma, also as an emetic in 

 large doses, and they use the powder externally in venereal chan- 

 cres as well as fungous ulcers. They make a kind of hemp with 

 the stem, like that of j3- dehiUs and Apoeyntim cannabinum, and 

 use it for strings to bows. The silk makes better wicks for can- 

 dles than cotton- The ^. asthmatica of the East Indies, and 

 A. cusassavica of the West Indies, are emetic also and used in 

 clysters for dysentery and piles. Meaae says that oiu: A, tuberosa 



18 a safe and powerful diuretic. Burson extols it in Marasmus or 

 Atrophy, Cholera Infantum, and diseases attending the dentition 

 of infants as a mild cathartic destitute of smell and taste, he pre- 

 scribes to unite it with aromatics. A. Ives considers it equivalent 

 to Sanguinariaj but milder and leasoertain. Eberle, ZoIIickoffer, 

 Hopkins, &c. confirm the valuable properties of this plant; yet it 

 la only a palliative in Phthisis. The A. incarnata has been no- 

 ticed by Tuliy and Anderson in a thesis as a useful emetic and ca- 

 thartic. The A. syriaca has lately J)een employed as an anodyne 

 m asthma, and a powerful diuretic in dropsy, Ives states many 



