BOTANIC MATERIA MEDICA, 205 
weed or Asthma weed, etc. Native of the 
North American continent, and is both annual 
and biennial in its nature, attaining a height of 
twelve inches or more, adorned with acute, 
oval-shaped leaves, serrate, pubescent and ses- 
sile, about two inches long; flowers in terminal 
Spike-like racemes; corolla pale blue and lip- 
shaped, the upper lip being divided into two 
and the lower lip into three segments; calyx 
prominent and ten-veined; fruit, a capsule, 
two-celled and oval in form, with numerous 
Seeds. This plant is common from Hudson 
Bay to south of Georgia, and blooms from July 
to October; odor of the leaves and stems (the 
parts used) herby and somewhat irritating; 
taste hot and acrid. Lobelia contains wax, fat, 
gum, resin, acid, otl, and two alkaloids called 
Lobeline and Inflatin. Lobelia is-a nervine, 
_ €xpectorant, narcotic, purgative and emetic, 
and is administered in form of powder, infusion, 
fluid extract and tincture. Dose of the powder 
2 to 30 grains (0.12 to 2.0 grams); of the in- 
fusion 2 to 4 fluid drachms. The vinegar fluid 
extract and tincture are officinal (see Dispensa- 
tory). There are several varieties of Lobelia. 
Name derived from the French botanist Mathias 
de Lobel, in whose honor the plant is said to 
have been named. : 
Marrubium, Horehound, Marrubium Vul- 
gare.—Natural order Labiate. This little 
plant, with its perennial root sending up its 
numerous annual stems, is a native of Europe, 
naturalized in the United States, and cultivated 
for the drug market. The stem arises to a 
