LEDUM PALUSTRE. Q 



-\r' 



D 



Ireland, where it seems to be a denizen, along with Papaver nudi- 

 caule. The fact of the plant growing among the wild islands 

 of that coast cannot be doubted. In the more northern regions, 

 too, of Europe and America these two plants are almost always 

 found together (Sir W. J. Hooker, in Fl. Loncl) Notwith- 

 standing these remarks of Hooker's, the plant has been admitted 

 into the British Flora, on the solitary specimen found by Pro- 

 fessor Gieseche in a fresh state, and taken from the hat of a 

 fisherman in the neighbourhood of Archilhead. 



Parts used in Medicine, and Mode of Preparation. 



The whole Plant, dried, and reduced to powder, and then mixed 

 with twenty parts (by weight) of alcohol ; let it remain for eight 

 days, decant the clear liquor, and dilute to the fifteenth (v) 

 attenuation, 



Physiological Effects. — On Man. Ledum palustre, as 

 observed by some, produces violent headache and symptoms of 

 intoxication. Hahnemann remarks,* t€ the Marsh tea (Ledum 

 palustre) causes, as I have ascertained, among other effects, 

 difficult, painful respiration; this accounts for its efficacy in 

 hooping-cough, probably also in morbid asthma. Will it not 

 be useful in pleurisy, as its power of so greatly diminishing 

 the temperature of the blood (in its secondary action) will 

 hasten the recovery ? It causes a painful, shooting sensation in 

 all parts of the throat, as I have observed, and hence its un- 

 common virtues in malignant and inflammatory sore throat. 

 Equally specific is (as I have noticed) its power of causing 

 troublesome itching in the skin, and hence its great efficacy 

 in chronic skin diseases. The anxiety and the fiiintings it 

 occasions may prove of use in similar cases. As a transitory 

 and antagonistically acting powerful diuretic and diaphoretic 

 remedy, it may cure dropsies more certainly, however, acute 



than chronic. 



" On some of these properties depends its reputation in dysen- 



* Suggestions for Ascertaining the Curative Powers of Drugs. Translated by 

 E. E. Dudgeon, M.D. 



