VALERIANA OFFICINALIS. 207 



shaped, and support oblong yellow anthers. The germen is 

 inferior, oblong, having a thread-shaped style the length of the 

 stamens, and terminated by a trifid stigma. The seeds are 

 ovate-oblong, compressed, and crowned with a feathery pappus 

 of ten rays. 



Geographical Distribution. — Indigenous. Europe, Asia 

 Minor, North America. 

 Parts used in Medicine, and Mode of Preparation. 



The Fresh Root, gathered in the spring, when about two or 

 three years old. The root consists of a short tuberculated 

 rhizome, from which issue numerous round, tapering, root- 

 fibres, which are from two to six inches long, white internally, 

 and when fresh greyish or yellowish- white externally, and when 

 dried yellowish-brown. A great part of the roots used in com- 

 merce come from Kent, Essex, and Derbyshire. 



Physiological Effects. — Valerian has a peculiar effect on 

 some animals. Cats are "intoxicated 55 by it; they roll them- 

 selves on the ground and are violently agitated. 



On man it exerts its influence on the cerebrospinal system. 

 Dr. Heberden {Comment., chap, lxix.) states that it causes ner- 

 vous agitation and hurries of spirit. 



Barbier {Mat. Med., vol. ii. p. 83) mentions that a patient in 

 the Hotel-Dieu at Amiens, after taking six drachms daily for 

 some time, woke up delirious, and fancied that one side of the 



room was in flames. 



Larsre doses cause headache, mental excitement, visual illu- 

 sions (scintillations, flashes of light, etc.), giddiness, restlessness, 

 agitation, and occasionally spasmodic movements. 



Medical Uses (Homoeopathic). — Stapf {Add. to the Mat. 

 Med. Pur., ed. by Stapf., trans, by C. J. Hempel, M.D.) states : 

 " This favourite has sometimes done much mischief. This 

 is proved by the increase of hypochondria, and especially the 

 hysteric and nervous sufferings of our ladies, which, to be sure, 

 ought in some respects to be charged to our manner of educating 

 our young ladies, but principally upon the use of stimulants, 



