76 A COMPENDIUM OF 
medullary rays coming towardsthecentre. The 
root is rarely if ever used in medicine. T he 
medicinal qualities lie in the. milk-like juice 
which exudes from the root when sliced off. 
The juice is collected in shells and dried, and 
found in commerce and the stores in blocks or 
in circular cakes of a gray-green appearance, of 
a resinous consistence and lustre and somewhat 
porous; when mixed with water it gives a green- 
looking emulsion, not colored blue by iodine, 
hence contains no starch. Converted into scam- 
monic acid by the alkalies. It is frequently 
found adulterated with lime carbonate and 
starch. Scammony is a hydragogue, cathartic, 
and not often given alone; the dose is 1 to 8 
gTains (0.06 to o.5 grams), It enters into the 
combination of Pil] Colocynth Co. Pill. Colo- 
cynth et Hyoscyamii and Puly. Scammony com- 
pound. 
Scutellaria Lateriflora, Skullcap, Mad-weed, 
- Hoodwort and other like names,—Natural or- 
der Labiate Stachydez, Skullcap is an Amer- 
ican perennial herb, growin g in wet and swampy 
places, the stem averaging 20 inches (50 centi- 
Meters) high, smooth and somewhat branching; 
leaves opposite, 2 inches (5 centimeters) long, 
ovate or Ovate-oblong with saw-like (serrate) 
edges. Flowers small and of a pale blue color; 
the calyx is divided into two lips, somewhat 
helmet-shaped. There are several varieties of 
skullcap; the skuticap INTEGRIFOLIA, SCUT. PI- 
Losa and the Scur, GALERICULATA, all of which 
have simple stems and blue flowers, All the 
varieties have a bitter taste and contain a bitter 
active principle. As found in the stores skull- 
