O FLORA HOMCEOP ATHTCA . 



History .— The seeds of the Ignatia amara (Strychnos Ignatia) 

 are, in all probability, identical with the Igasur or Nuces 

 vomica; mentioned by Serapion. Alston {Lectures on the Mat 

 Med., vol. ii. p. 38) states that the seed came into the Dutch 

 shops about the latter end of the seventeenth century. Lemery 

 says that a Spanish Jesuit first brought it to the notice of the 

 Portuguese merchants, and called it Faba St. Ignatii from Igna- 

 tius Loyola. The seeds are worn as amulets by the natives of 

 the Philippine Islands, for the cure of all kinds of diseases. 

 Dale {Pharmacol, p. 330) says it resists poison, cures quartan 

 allies ; " urinam et menses provocat, vertiginem inducet et 

 vomitiones ciet." As a medicine, it has been employed in 

 periodical diseases, atonic gout, chronic cramp, epilepsy, 

 paralysis ; as an anthelmintic ; in dropsy, intermittent fevers, 

 cholera, cardialgia, amenorrheca, periodical spasmodic asthma, 

 paralysis of the lower extremities, etc., etc. 



Description. — Ignatia amara is a beautiful tree, with long, 

 twining, copious, smooth, branches. The leaves are opposite, 

 stalked, ovate, and entire, a span long, and very smooth. 

 Panicles axillary, small. Flowers very long, drooping, white, 

 and scented like jasmine. Fruit the size and shape of a 

 middling pear. Seeds scarcely an inch long, and very bitter. 

 The fruit was first described by Father Camilli, under the 

 name of Catalongay and Cantara. 



- Geographical Distribution. — A native of the East Indies 



and Philippine Islands. 



Parts used in Medicine, and Mode of Preparation. 



The Seeds, which are reduced to powder in a mortar, placed 

 in hot water during the pulverization. The first three attenu- 

 ations are made by trituration. The seeds, as found in the 

 shops, are about the size of olives, round and convex on one 

 side, and somewhat angular on the other ; externally, they are 

 brownish. 



Physiological Effects. — On Animals. Orfila (op. cit.) 

 gave a dog half an ounce of the powder of Ignatia. In about 



