CORTEX QUERCUa 593 



Uses — The drug is employed iu the form of an iiifiisioii or tinctui-e 

 as a stimulating tonic and diaplioretic ; it is more often prescribed in 

 combination with cinchona bark than by itself Its ancient reputation 

 for the cure of snake-bites is now disregarded. 



Adulteration and Substitution — Virginian snake-root is said to 



uncommon to find here and there in the serpentary of commerce, a root 

 of Panax quinquefolium L. accidentally collected, but never added for 

 the purpose of adulteration. ■ 



The root of AristolocJda reticulata Nuti, a plant of Louisiana and 

 Arkansas, has been brought into commerce in considerable quantity as 

 Texan or Red River Snahe-root} We are indebted for an authentic 

 specimen from the Cherokee country to Mr. Merrell, a large dealer in 

 herbs at St. Louis, Missouri, who states that all the serpentary grown 



Mountains 



The 



late Prof Parrish of Philadelphia was kind enough to supply us with 

 specimens of the same drug, as well as with reliable samples of true 

 Virginian or Middle States Snake-root 



The Texan snake-root is somewhat tliicker and less matted than that 

 derived from A. Serpentaria, but has the odour and taste of the latter ; 

 some say it is less aromatic. The plant, portions of whicli are often 

 present, may be easily distinguished by its leaves bemg conHCeoW, 

 sessile and strongly reticidoied on their under surface. 



CUPULIFER^. 



r 



CORTEX QUERCUS. 



Oalc Bark; F. Ecorce de Chene ; G. Eicheyirinde. 



There are two remLkable forms of this tree which are regaruc-jwo 

 n^any botanists as distinct species, but which are classed bj De C 



"^ 'subTp'edes I. peduncidata-..\ih leaves sessile or ^ ^l 

 and acorns borne on a long peduncle, and acorns eithei sess.Ie o. ,r 

 ing on a short peduncle. „ , ., „„ ^„ ]„„„ (.lonfratr'd. 



Both lorms occur in Britain. The tirst '« J^"^ , m, f^ccon(\ is 



pater part of England and the l^J^l^^^f^ffj^^J^^^^^^^^ prevails, but it 

 frequently scattered in woods m which the fiist ^^^^^^ [, ^ j^n^dand. 

 Rarely constitutes the mass of the oak woods f^^^^'^^ ^* ^^^^ 

 In North Wales however, in the hilly parts <>f ^^;^^;7^;';tj^^,^^^^ 

 and in Scotland, it is the commoner of the two forms (BenthamJ. 



H legand in American Journ. o/Pharm. ^fpf. ';,.„„,„, xvi. (1864) sect. 2. fasc. 1.) 

 '• (1845) 10; also Froceedin>js of the -P>od>onm,^ \ 



2 P 



