80-2 
The applicability of a decoction of this herb to many forms of diarrhoea was 
well known to the Aborigines, and is now used in that disease by the Cree In- 
dians of Hudson Bay. It was introduced in the practice at the New York Alms- 
house, in 1872, by Dr. Gilbert Smith, for a type of diarrhcea that often prevailed 
there, and met with very great success. 
The decoction has proven tonic, stimulant, astringent and diuretic, and been 
found useful in dropsies and many forms of urinary disorders, both renal and 
cystic,—such as gravel, diabetes, dysury, strangury, and urethritis; /. hetlerophyl- 
lum, and Philadelphicum have, however, greater power than Canadense in this 
direction. The oil of the plant is acrid, and, though not astringent, is, nevertheless, 
an extraordinary styptic; it was introduced by Eclectic practice, and is an effi- — 
cient agent in the treatment of hemorrhoids, passive hemorrhage, diarrhoea, dys- _ 
entery, hemoptysis,* hematemesis, hematuria, and menorrhagia; as well as an 
excellent palliative in the treatment of sore throat, with swelling of the glands, 
boils, tumors, rheumatism and gonorrhoea. The dose of the oil is from four to 
six drops in water, repeated not oftener than every hour, if much is to be required. 
The officinal preparation of the U.S. Ph., is Oleum FErigerontis; in the 
Eclectic Dispensatory, Oleum Erigerontis and [nfusum Erigerontis. 
PART USED AND PREPARATION.—The whole fresh plant, gathered during 
its flowering season, is treated as in the two preceding species. The resulting 
tincture has a clear, brownish-orange color by transmitted light; a somewhat 
aromatic odor; a slightly bitter and astringent taste; and an acid reaction. : 
CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS—No analysis of the plant has yet been made 
that individualizes the bitter principle first separated by De Puy,} who also de- 
termined, in this species, gallic and tannic acids, and an essential oil, and proved 
that all the qualities of the herb were extracted by cold water or alcohol. 
Oil of Erigeron Canadense—This body may be extracted by distilling the 
fresh herb with water. It results as a colorless or pale yellow liquid, gradually 
becoming darker and thicker by age or exposure, and having an aromatic, persis- 
tent odor, an acrid taste, and a neutral reaction. It boils at 178° (352.4° F.); has 
a sp. gr. of from .845 to .850, and is readily soluble in water or alcohol. This oil 
*In the autumn of 1883, I was called hastily to attend Miss X, I found her sitting upon the floor, her arm 
resting upon a chair and her head bending over a.common-size foot bath-tub, and every few moments a large 
quantity of bright red blood would gurglingly issue from her mouth, She had been spitting such quantities for ee 
three-quarters of an hour, and the tub was over half-filled with foamy blood, and, I judge, a large quantity of saliva. 
I immediately mixed about a drachm of tincture of Erigeron in half a goblet of water, and gave her two teaspoon- a 
fuls of the mixture every five minutes, while getting the history of the case. She had been subject to these hemor- 
rhages, which did not occur at the menstrual epoch, for some months past, though they were much less in quantity — 
than the present one. Her family history was consumptive and hemorrhagic, and her physical strength always below — 
medium. The hemorrhage now being arrested (after the second dose) leaving her terribly exsanguinated, I had her 
removed to her bed, and put her on light liquid food in large quantities. This treatment was followed by Erigeron in a 
potency for a month, one dose nightly, upon which her strength improved; and, up to the last time I saw her, three years 
after, no subsequent hemorrhage occurred. Her menstrual flux, which had been much too copious and early, was al 
ante ; and her general health, as she expresses, a thousand times better than at any time since her monthlies com- — 
menced. = 
t 4nq. into Bot. Hist., Chem. Prop., and Med. Qual. Erig. Can., 1815. 
“ee 
