6 FLORA HOMCEOPATHICA. 
Parts usED In Mepictne.—The Roots, Flowers, and Leaves. 
Mope or Prepraration.—The Homeopathic Pharmacopeia 
(Quin) orders the expressed juice of the recent plant to be 
mixed with equal quantity of spirits of wine, and after an inter- 
val of twenty-four hours, the clear liquid to be poured off. One 
drop of this is to be shaken twice with ninety-nine drops of 
spirits of wine, and marked with the sign (1). After- 
wards, this is to be attenuated down to the 80th dilution, by 
adding one drop of the Ist dilution to ninety-nine drops of 
spirits of wine, and so on till the 30th is obtained. The 
qualities of the root and expressed juice vary much according to 
age, and if kept longer than a few months, become totally inert. 
Mr. Reuben Payne, of Milverton, finds the preparation 
made from the plant gathered in Somersetshire much more 
powerful than that procured from the best houses in London. 
This is probably owing to the above cause. ‘The proper time 
of gathering the root for medicinal purposes is beforé the stem 
shoots; of the whole plant, in J uly and August. 
Poisonous Errrcts. — The poisonous effects of medicinal 
substances on the animal economy, or the exhibition of over large 
doses of any medicine, are most interesting to the homeo- 
pathist ; according to the law which governs them in their 
treatment of disease, these effects assist to indicate the general 
application of each medicinal substance, and from its baneful 
consequences its beneficial uses to mankind are made apparent. 
The following are some of the most interesting cases which 
have occurred of poisoning by this plant, and which demon- 
strate its peculiar symptoms and actions. 
A boy ate some of the leaves instead of parsley ; in two hours, 
burning sensation in the mouth, throat, and stomach came on, 
followed by swooning and death. On inspection, the cerebral 
veaiels were found enormously distended with a dark coloured 
fluid; a deep inflammatory blush extended over the whole 
mucous surface of the stomach, with dark coloured patches. 
(Med. Chir. Review, July, 1844.) 
