PRUNUS- 253 



children vvitK worms. A cool salve made with it for 

 sore lips and nipples. i 



POTENTILLA, L. Cinque/oil. All the sp. mild 

 astringent, tonic and vulnerary. P. reptanSy jP. cmia- 

 densis and P.fruticosa mostly used in weak bowels, he- 

 morrhage, ague?, menorhea, &c. P. anscrina (Silver- 

 weed) also antiseptic, used in gargles for loose teeth, 

 spon2:vgums : by coction becomes edible, 



PUteNANTIIES, L, Gall of the Earth, Dewitt make- 

 root^ Lion-sfoot. Many sp. Eq. Root and milk very 

 bitter, used in dysentery and to cure snake bites in men 

 and cattle in poultice. P. alba and serpentaria chiefly. 

 -P. opicrhuiy Raf. 10 feet high, eq. of Laettica. 



PRINOS, T.. Black Alder, Fever bush, TFinter berry. 

 8 Sp. Eq. /\ verlicillatus mostly used. Inner bark eme- 

 tic, cathartic, tonic, antiseptic. Used in agues, fevers, 

 debility, anasarca, dropsy, incipient sphacelus, herpetic 

 eruptions, gangrene, jaundice, foul ulcers, &c. in pow- 

 der, decoction and tincture, awash or poultice- Berries 

 purgative and vermifuge, mild eq. of bark, bitters made 

 with thorn. Popular remedies. 



PRUNUS, L. Cherry trees and Plumb trees. Useful 

 genus, we have nearly 40 wild sp. of which I have pre- 

 pared a monography, only 25 described by authors. All 

 our wild Plumbs esculent, some cult, by Indians, make 

 good pies, preserves, &:c. The best are 1- Pr. angustifo- 

 lid, Cherokee Plamb, yellow, fine. 2. Pr. coccinea, Raf. 

 Fl. lud. large, crimson, acid. 3. Pr. stenophylla, Raf. 

 sweet and black. 4. Pr, umbellata, Elliot, acid. 5. Pr. 

 versicolor, Raf. several colors. 6. Pr, aurantiaca, Raf. 

 T. Pr. chicasa. 8. Pr. hyemalis, &c. Few wild Cherries 

 are esculent, but Pr. rotundifolia. Raf. Pr. hirsntus, E. 

 are good. Pr. virginiana, Pr. ca)iadensis and Pr. aero- 

 Una, are active medical, berries in racemes, called 

 Black Cherries. The bark is bitter astringent, contains 

 Prussic acid, tannin, gum and mucus. Tonic, febrifuge, 

 sedative. Very useful in fevers, agues, hectic fever, 

 dyspepsia, lumbar abscess, chronic asthma and hysteria, 

 cardiaigy, &c. Taken in powders, dose 10 to 40 grains 

 in infusion, tincture, &:c. heat drives off the Prussic acid. 

 Bark of the root stronger- Reduces pulse from 75 to 

 50. In iar£:e doses narcotic and vermifuge. Leaves 



