446 BOTANIC PHYSICIAN. 
. 
Pee a ee es. 
: Cotomso. The root. Pe as 
This valuable root was formerly imported altogether, but of late — 
years it has been found in great quantities in the states west, north, — 
and south of the Allegany mountains, but very little east of them. 
The native Colombo is equal in all respects to the foreign, except, — 
perhaps, it is not quite as strong, generally. It is found in great — 
abundance in the rich glades of the western states, where it grows 
most luxuriantly, sometimes attaining the height of ten feet. - 
The American colombo is one of the handsomest native plants, 
having a large pyramid of crowded flowers sometimes three or four. 
feetlong. It is atrue triennial, and the stalk and flowers not shooe 
ing up till the third year. The root is large, yellow, tuberose, hard, 
horizontal, spindle-shaped, two feet long sometimes, with. few fibres. 
The whole plant perfectly smooth, stem from five to ten feet high, 
round, erect, solid, with few branches, except at the top, where they 
form a pyramid of flowers. Leaves in whorls, the radical or root 
leaves fe a Star spread upon the ground, from five to twelve in 
number, from ten to eighteen inches long, and from three to five — 
broad, constituting the whole plant in the two first years, or before 
the stem grows. The stem leaves are in whorls, from four to eight, 
smaller than the radical leaves. Flowers yellowish white, nume 
rous, large, forming an elegant pyramid. Its seed grows in , 
shaped like a horse bean, and are much like parsnip seeds. Th j 
has a sweetish bitter taste, like gentian. The leaves are also 
utter. 5 
_ Colombo root is emetic and cathartic when fresh ; tonic, antisep- 
tic and febrifuge when dry. It yields its bitterness to water, 
proof spirit is its proper menstruum. The doses are two drachms 
the powder, or one or two ounces of the infusion. ‘The root ough 
to be collected from the fall of the second year to the spring of the 
third year of its growth. ; 
This root is a powerful antiseptic and bitter, and is used with great 
success in diseases of the stomach and debility. It has cured a wide 
spread gangrene of the lower limbs by internal use and external 4° 
plication, when bark fails. Tt avails in intermittents, like other PU 
bitters, and is extensively used in the western states, in fevers, oe 
gtiping, nausea, relaxed stomach and bowels, indigestion, &¢ 
a purgative, it is substituted for rhubarb in many cases, particula 
for children and pregnant women, being found serviceable 1 the 
constipation of pregnancy. It has the advantage of not heating ™® 
body : Cold water is said to add to its efficiency, and prevent nav" 
sea oryomiting. A tea spoonful of the powder in hot water 
wok Mb give immediate relief in case of heavy food loading ® 
weak stomach. It is a good corrector of the bile, alone, ©@™ 
with other bitters. “Tt is iveithosousty employed in consumptionss — 
dyspepsia, jaundice, scurvy, suppressed menses, &c.. ey” he. 
The Colombo leaves oceasion sweat copiously, when laid oe 
forehead, and will commonly relieve the headach ; this will also *P 
ply to any kind of inflammation, rheumatism, &e. To finis? © 
cure of fevers, it should be taken in some form, until the-heal? 
