182 A COMPENDIUM OF 
meters), an inch or more broad at the middle. 
The taste is bitter astringent, and they contain 
resin, tannin, arbutin, and a large amount of 
green coloring matter, supposed to be ch/oro- 
pil; flowers wheel-shaped, of a pink color and 
dotted with many red or brown spots on the 
petals. Each flower has five petals; calyx five- 
toothed; stamens ten. The fruit a pod, having 
five cells containing many seeds. No part of 
the plant is now used in medicine, and when 
found in the stores it occurs in packages like the 
compressed herbs. The Laurel is poisonous, 
and it is saJd to kill all animals feeding upon its 
leaves, except the deer, and for this reason it is 
called in certain localities lamb-kill. The name 
is derived from Kalm, the botanist, who first 
described it. 
Lycopus Virginicus, Bugle-weed.—Natural 
order Labiate. This plant is a native of North 
America, and has a perennial root, with a quad- 
rangular stem adorned with purple leaves about 
two inches long, quite broad and lance-shaped; 
near the middle of the blade of the leaf the 
edges are serrated, whilst the surface is covered 
with spots or dots; the flowers are white and in 
axillary whorls; both the corolla and calyx are 
tubular, pistillate with 2 stamens. The Bugle 
plant's flowers, tops and leaves contain /annin, 
a bitter principle, and a volatile oil. The odor 
differs little from the rest of the mint family; 
taste bitter and aromatic. It is tonic, sedative - 
and astringent, and has been given in form of 
infusion, which is prepared by adding a pint of 
boiling water to one ounce of the leaves, the 
dose of which is 1 to 2 fluid ounces; no longer 
