No. 79. PYROLA. 71 



4^ ChimaphUa, Calyx five tootliedj style immersed, 

 stigma urceolate. P. maculata* 



All these species are common to both continents, ex- 

 cept the P. maculata^ whick is spread in woods from 

 Canada to Florida and Missouri. It blossoms in July, 

 ^ and has very fragrant blossoms, which, with the painted 

 leaves, renders it the prettiest species of the genus. 

 The -P. umbellata has also sweet scented flowers j it is 

 easily known by its green cuneate leaves. Both spe- 

 cies have the same properties, and will be included 

 here. 



PROPERTIES. The whole plants, but chiefly the 

 leaves, have a pungent bitter-sweet taste. Chemi- 

 cal components, bitter extractive, resin, tannin, gum, 

 fibrine, &c. 5 the resin is brown, adhesive, and odorifer- 

 ous. Water arid alcohol dissolve the active properties ; 

 the last still better. They are diuretic, sudorific, sti- 

 mulant, and. tonic. Dr. Wolf, in Germany, has drawn 

 the attention to the P. umbdlata^ as an equivalent to 

 •Bsbutus uva wrsf, in Ischuria and Dysuria, a table spoon- 

 ful of a strong infusion, given hourly with some syrup, 

 gave immediate relief. Many physicians in Europe and 

 America have investigated and confirmed the valuable 

 properties of these plants, and the P.maculata has been 

 found almost equal to A umbellata. They have been 

 used in dropsy, nephritis, hepatitis, hydrothorax, ascites, 

 anasarca, strangury, hysteria, rheumatism, and low fe- 

 vers. Thev have availed more or less in all these dis- 

 orders, and^have the decided advantage of beinggrateful 

 to the stomach, while almost all other diuretics disagree 

 with itj they invigorate the appetite, and strengthen the 

 body, increase the flow of urine aftd all secretions. 

 Schoepf states that the P- maculaia is used in intermit- 

 tents in Pennsylvania, and that the P. umbellata is 

 styptic, astringent, corroborant ; useful in ischias. It 

 was also used in typhus, and as a popular remedy for 

 rheumatism in the United States. The decoction is 

 generally used, and often in lar^e doses ; but the extract 

 is equally good 5 doses about fitteen grains. They have 

 even been deemed antilithic j but this property has not 

 been confirmed, although thev alleviate the symptoms of 

 gravel. Also very useful in hematuria. Externally de- 



