110 "A COMPENDIUM OF 
taste in the former root. Snake-root is obtained 
from Virginia, Pennsylvania and the Western 
States; it is used as a tonic, stimulant and di- 
aphoretic, and recognized as officinal in form of 
extract, fluid extract andtincture. The doseis 
5 to 15 grains (0.3 to 1.0 gram), and 5 to 30 
drops (0.4 to 2.0 grams), Sepentaria is one of 
the prominent ingredients of the Tincture Cin- 
chon Co. (Huxham’s Tincture.) Snake-root 
is liable to adulteration (not by evil design) by 
leaves, sticks, etc., from want of care in the 
gatherer, and hence we should closely inspect 
all we purchase, to see that it is free from these 
inert substances. Serpentaria contains, accord- 
ing to recent analysis, annin, sugar, starch, al- 
bumen, and a volatile oil, also a bitter principle; 
on distillation of the root the oil passes over, 
rendering the water turbid, which, on cooling, 
deposits camphor crystals, In selecting snake- 
root we should be careful to take that which is 
handsome in color and elastic. 
Spigelia, Spigelia, Spigelia Marilandica.— 
Natural order Loganiacee. Common names, 
pink-root, worm grass and Carolina pink. This 
plant is found in all parts of the United States; 
itis annual as to the stem, and perennial as to 
the root. The stems are simple and erect, and 
attain the height of 6 to 18 inches (15 to 45 cen- 
timeters) with sessile, ovate, lanceolate leaves; 
many stems grow from the same root, termina- 
ting in a spike which support a number of tubu- 
lar red flowers with short petioles, The inside 
of the flower is yellow; the tube of the corolla 
is four times the length of the calyx. The sta- 
mens number six, with one pistil, which is quite 
