XANTHIUM. 275 



useful in hemorrhoids, dysentery, hemoptysis, leucor- 

 ^nea, fluxes j also antilacteal or repelling milk. 



VIOLA, L. Violet. Prolific genus, we have nearly 40 

 native sp. Properties more or less alike in all. Roots 

 commonly mild emetic and cathartic, leaves emollient 

 laxative, blossoms and seeds laxative, pectoral, &.c. All 

 the parts contain the Violine, a peculiar kind of Emetine, 

 blowers of the fragrant V. odorata cult, much used for 

 a grateful tea and syrup, used for cough, sorethroat, con- 

 stipation, often given to children. We have only two 

 fragrant wild sp. eq. V canadensis and blanda^ smell 

 sweeter but fainter. Roots bitterish acrid, tonic in doses 

 01 10 grains, purgative 25 to 30, emetic 40 to 50, also 

 used as depurative in diseases of the skin, V. tricolor, 

 arvensts and calcarata used in Europe, their leaves also 

 purgative. We use chiefly V. dandestina, rotundifoliay 

 palmata, heterophylla, sometimes called HealalL Leaves 

 emollient, suppurative, used for wounds and sores, bruis- 

 ed or in poultices. Elliott says the negroes eat the leaves 

 ot the two last in soups. 



VISCUM^ L. Misseltoe, Sev. sp. eq. My V. serott- 

 ^11771 is monoical triandrous. Leaves contain nitrate of 

 potash, jump in the fire before burning. Fruits viscose, 

 birdlime made with them. Contain wax, glue, gum, vis- 



cine insoluble, clorophylle, iron, salts, &:c. They are 

 lubricant, sweetish, febrifuge, antiepileptic. Leaves and 

 berries given in tea or powder for epileptic fits, convul- 

 smns, vertigo, pleuritis, dysentery. By no means inert, 

 although now neglected. Once the sacred plant of the 

 Druids. Powder must be used fresh, and in large dose^s 

 VITEX AGNUSCASTUS, L. Chaste tree. Found 

 by Schoepf in Virginia and Carolina* Leaves discutient, 

 dispel swellings of joints and testicles^ applied warm. 

 Seeds acrid, aromatic, nidorose, stimulant, subastringent, 

 used in hysteria and gonorrhea : but by no means seda* 



tive as formerlv thouglit. 



XANTHIUxNf, L. Burweed, Burthistk, Clotburr. 

 2 native sp. X. crassum and undulatuntj Raf. mistaken 

 for X strumarium and orientale by authors. X spino- 

 stwi is besides become spont All eq. bitterish subacrid, 

 dy yellow; astringent, pellent, diaphoretic. Useful in 

 scrotula, herpes, eresypelas. Seeds or burs baneful to 

 »heep, spoil their wool by entangling with it. 



