85-2 
PART USED. AND PREPARATION.—The whole fresh plant should be 
gathered when flowering begins, excluding all old and woody stems, and chopped 
and pounded to a pulp; then in a new piece of linen press out thoroughly all the 
juice and mix it by brisk succussion with an equal part by weight of alcohol, 
Allow the mixture to stand eight days in a dark, cool place, then filter, The 
tincture thus prepared should be by transmitted light of a clear reddish-orange 
color; its odor peculiar, resembling that of malt yeast, pungent and agreeable, 
like the fresh plant; to the taste acrid and slightly bitter, and shows an acid 
reaction to test papers. 
CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS.—Acihillein C,,H,,N,O,,. The body formerly 
designated by this name was a mixed alcoholic extract of no definite character, 
containing all of the unvolatilized principles of the plant; from this mass the true 
alkaloid was isolated by Von Planta and its composition, as above, determined. 
Achillein has no definite crystalline form; it is soluble in water, alcohol and 
ether, and has a bitter taste. 
Oil of Achillea.—This oil is readily obtained by aqueous distillation of the 
plant; that from the flowers and green parts of the herb has a beautiful dark 
blue color and a specific gravity 0.92; that from the achenia is greenish-white, 
while from the root it is either colorless or slightly yellow. The oil from the green 
parts, if cold, is of a butter-like consistence, strongly odorous, and with a taste 
similar to that of the herb itself. 
Achilleic Acid.—A strongly acid, odorless, liquid body, witha density of 1.0148 
when fully concentrated, crystallizing in colorless quadrilateral prisms, soluble in 
water. (£tsupra, Wittstein.) 
The plant contains beside the above principles tannin and a resinoid Lody unin- 
vestigated, Itis considered by Griffith that the plant as naturalized in the Northern — 
United States is more active in its properties than its European progenitors. 
PHYSICLOGICAL ACTION.—Yarrow seems to have a decided action upon 
the bloodvessels, especially in the pelvis. It has been proven to be of great 
utility in controlling hemorrhages, especially of the pelvic viscera, where hzmor- 
rhage is caused by it. Its common European name, Nosebleed, was given from 
the fact that the early writers claimed hemorrhage of the nose followed placing its 
leaves in the nostrils; this may have been either due to its direct irritation, or the 
use of Achillea ptarmica, its leaves being very sharply serrate and appressed- 
toothed. Millefolium causes burning and raw sensations of the membranes — 
with which it comes in contact, considerable pain in the gastric and abdominal 
regions, with diarrhoea and enuresis. 
DESCRIPTION OF PLATE 85, 
1. Leaf from near the root. 
2. Flower-head (enlarged). 
3- Ray-floret (enlarged). 
4. Top of plant from South Waverly, N. Y., June 8th, 1880. 
5- Disk floret and bract (enlarged). 
6. Stamens (enlarged). 
