119-2 
Collinsonia was first introduced as a medicine by Schoepf, who praised its vir- 
tues in lochial colic, snake-bites, rheumatism, and dumb ague. Rafinesque states 
that the Aborigines used the plant as a vulnerary, and that Dr. Mease claimed to 
cure dropsy with an infusion of the root in cider ;* he further states that, “in the 
mountains of Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Carolina, this genus is considered 
as a panacea, and used outwardly and inwardly in many disorders; it is applied 
in poultice and wash for bruises, sores, blows, falls, wounds, sprains, contusions, 
and taken like tea for headaches, colics, cramps, dropsy, indigestion, etc.’ Drs. 
A. French and Beers speak highly of it in pains of the bladder, ascites, and dropsy 
of the ovaries; also as a powerful tonic in putrid and malignant fevers, and in 
leucorrhcea. Dr. Hooker judges the principle so volatile that all infusions should 
be made in a tight vessel. Dr. Scudder speaks highly of the plant in chronic 
diseases of the respiratory tract, and says that it relieves pulmonary irritation, and 
acts asa stimulant expectorant. “In irritation of the pneumogastric nerve,” he 
says, “heart disease, and that peculiarly distressing asthma simulating, and some- 
times attending, phthisis, it has a superior influence in quieting irritation, giving 
increased strength to the patient. In hemorrhoids, where there is rectal irritation, 
with the feces in part scybalous and part semifluid, no constipation being present, 
it cures in doses of from one to two drops of the tincture in water, three or four 
times a day.” 
The officinal preparations in the Eclectic Materia Medica are: /nfusum Col- 
linsone and Tinctura Collinsone. 
PART USED AND PREPARATION.—The fresh root is chopped and pounded 
to a pulp and weighed. Then two parts by weight of alcohol are taken, the pulp 
mixed thoroughly with one-sixth part of it, and the rest of the alcohol added. 
After stirring the whole well, it is poured into a well-stoppered bottle, and allowed 
to stand eight days ina dark, cool place. The tincture so prepared is, after strain- 
ing and filtering, of a brilliant reddish-orange color by transmitted light; has no 
characteristic odor; a ligneous taste; and an acid reaction. 
CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS.—An analysis of the root and leaves of this 
species, by C. N. Lochman,+ resulted in the separation of a resin soluble in ether 
and partly in alcohol, wax, tannin, mucilage, and starch. A volatile oil is also 
present. The col/insonin of the pharmacies is the solid matter of the root, com- 
bined with chloride of sodium—not a specific principle, as might be supposed. 
PHYSIOLOGICAL ACTION.—Dr. Dowle’s experiment,{ in which he took a 
teaspoonful and a half of the powder, gave the following symptoms: Numbness 
of the face and arms, with a sensation of enlargement of the parts; nausea; faint- 
ness and giddiness; an exhilaration something like that of whiskey; increased 
urine; and scybalous stool. Dr. E. M. Hale’s provings add to the above the fol- 
lowing effects: Headache with throbbing; yellow-coated tongue; vomiting; colic 
_ with desire for stool ; and copious yellow bilious stools with tenesmus. 
_* Dr. Mease’s account of the drug is set forth in his Exclyclopedia, vol. I, 177. 
sue t Am. Four. Phar., 1885, 228. U.S. Med. Investigator. 
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