No. n. PANAX. 55 



smell i it must, therefore, possess nearlj the same pro- 

 perties, although in an inferior degree perhaps ; our In- 

 dian tribes did employ them : we may tlius avail our- 

 selves of them, and their cheapness ought not to make 

 them the less available, as probably larger doses will 

 answer all the indications. The Huron tribes call this 

 root Garantogen^ meaning root like a man. They are 

 scattered all over the Northern and Western States, 

 from Canada to Missouri and Alabama, also in the Alle- 

 ghany mountains as far as Carolina ; the first variety is 

 the most common, the second is found in Pennsylvania, 

 and the South, seldom mixed with the other. They are 

 rare plants in some parts, while in some districts they 

 were \qvj abundant, delighting chiefly^ in deep and rich 

 woods J but they have been nearly extirpated from seve- 

 ral places by the collectors, and tlie annual supply is 

 now much lessened, coming chiefly from the remote 

 western regions. It may soon be needful to cultivate 

 them, which can easily be done, by transplantation, and 

 the Shakers have begun the attempt, under the shade of 

 trees. These plants are, however, of very slow growth, 

 the shoots of the three first years has only one leaf, from 

 four to seven years only two, and at eight years of age 

 the root sends forth the three leaves, and begins to blos- 

 som ; it is stated that when twenty years old, it often 

 acquires four leaves, and even seven folioles in each 

 leaf. All the roots that have not blossomed are small, 

 and of little value ; the best for use must be from ten to 

 fifteen years old. The stem and leaves are also useful ; 

 but the berries are of no use, and not even edible .The 

 blossoms appear in the spring, and the berries are ripe in 

 the summer; they require two years to germinate. 



PROPERTIES. The roots have a pleasant campho- 

 rated smell ; the taste is sweet and pungent, with a 

 slight degree of aromatic bitterness. They are a fine 

 gentle and agreeable stimulant, both fresh and dryj 

 also nervine, cordial, restorative, analeptic, demulcent, 

 edulcorant, expectorant, stomachic, attenuant, deobstru- 

 ent, &.C. They owe their active properties to anecu- 

 liar substance, very similar to camphor, which I call 

 Panaciney white, pungent, soluble in alcohol and water, 

 and more fixed than camphor ; they contain also a vola- 

 tile oil, sugar, mucilage, resin, &c. 



