UICINUS. 257 



powder used for piles and wounds. The juice removes 

 warts and tetters, is the fine red mordaunt of Indian 

 djes. Seeds afford oil for lamps, Sacacorni article of 

 trade in Canada^ made by drying the berries in ovens 

 after bread, fine substitute of tobacco, those who use it, 

 loath tobacco ! Kinikah of western tribes is root and 

 leaves, half mixt with their tobacco, used also for dropsy. 

 Galls of Shumacs lately found equal to Aleppo galls. 

 Second series, B. vernix, pumihira^ radkans and toxi- 

 cum^ called Poison wood or vines, are poisonous even by 

 handling, or exposure to the effluvia in some persons, 



causing a distressing cutaneous disease or eresypela : 

 remedy rest, evacuations and parsley poultice, ice and 

 lead.^ Acrid milky juice, becomes black in the air, forms 

 indelible ink, inspissated becomes fine black resin and 

 varnish, with cinnabar red varnish of Japan. Root used 

 in chronic asthma, anasarca, phthisis, obstinate herpetic 

 eruptions. Extract of leaves chiefly used, a specific in 

 palsy, doses a grain, also for hemiplegia and rheuma- 

 tism. Contain tannin, gallic acid, green fecula, toxine 

 resin, &c. poisonous gas is carbonated hydrogen. R. 

 cotinus is cultiv. Feather tree, wood dves fine oranw, 



leaves tan well. 



RIBES, L. Gooseberries and Currants. Nearly 30 

 sp. wild. a. nigrum on Kennebec river. Roots in in- 



fusion, bark in gargles used for eruptive fevers, dysen- 



tery of cattle, fruits and jelly for sorethroat. Anodyne, 

 diuretic, pelJent, depurative, used in angina, exanthems, 

 dysenterv, hydrophobia, scabs and ictus. A fine cordial 

 made of "black currants. R.rigem smells like Ictodes. 

 R. nibmm^ fruit very cooling, useful in bilious and high 

 fevers, jelly very grateful. Wine made with currants 

 and gooseberries. Many edible sp. in Alleghany and 

 Oregon mountains, deserving cultivation. 



RICINUS COMMUNIS,L.Pfl?macn"5/i,Casfor, Cult. 

 wild. Leaves revulsive emollient, cure swelled breast^ and 

 dispel the milk of nurses at weaning by mere application. 

 Seeds drastic, vermitune. Castor oil mild purgative, 

 useful in iliac and painters' cholic, nephritis, worms, 

 constipation, &c. It is pale, thick, viscid like hemp oil, 

 sweet when fresh, acrid when old. Seeds give 66 per 

 cent, of oil, an acre produces 100 to 150 gallons, may be 



T 8 



