130-2 
Berg.) ; Nux (Strychnos Nux-Vomica, Linn.) ; Indian pink (Spigelia Marilandica, 
Linn.), and Spigelia (Spigelia anthelmia, Linn.). 
History and Habitat.—The yellow jessamine of the southern United States 
grows from Virginia southward, extending into Mexico. It flowers in March and 
April, and some years a second time, at least I am given to understand that such 
is the case in the State of Georgia. Although its support somewhat regulates 
the extent of the growth of this climbing vine, still it extends beyond the limits of 
the support in such a manner as to form beautiful trails and fringes; this occurs 
even above trees that are over 50 feet high. The beautiful yellow flowers, the 
odor of which is said to be narcotic, yield a delightful perfume, which may be ex- 
tracted by a process similar to that used for procuring oil of rose (Porcher). 
The medical history of this plant is quite modern, having been brought into 
notice, according to Dr. King, by a Mississippi planter, for whom in his illness the 
root was gathered in mistake for that of another plant; after partaking of an in- 
fusion serious symptoms arose, so alarming in their character that his friends ex- 
pected his death; upon his revival, however, it was apparent that the attack of 
bilious fever from which he had been suffering had disappeared. This accidental 
cure came to the knowledge of a pretender, who prepared a proprietary nostrum 
from the plant, called the “Electric Febrifuge.” Dr. Porcher, of South Carolina, 
noting the use of gelsemium in the works of Elliott and Frost, brought it again 
into notice through the mediumship of a report on the medical botany of his state, 
made to the Am. Med. Ass’n, in 1849. The first provings were made by Dr. 
Henry (1852), whose work was followed by many provers, the principal among 
them being Dr. E. M. Hale, whose « Monograph on Gelsemium” has been a most 
efficient help to the true knowledge of this valuble American addition to our 
medicamentz. 
“ 
Gelsemium is officinal in the U. S. Ph. as Extractum Gelsemti and Tinctura 
Gelsemit, and in the Eclectic Materia Medica as Tinctura Gelsemingz, 
PART USED AND PREPARATION.—Under this rubric it should be borne 
in mind that “ root-gatherers ” often mingle with Gelsemium root that of a similar 
twiner growing in like manner and localities; this plant is known as White Yessa- 
mine or White Poison Vine. .The following comparison will suffice to distinguish 
them: 
Yellow Fessamine. White Fessamine. 
Flowers dirty-white. 
Stem-bark maculate and striate with white. 
Flowers yellow. ; 
Stem-bark smooth and uniformly gray. 
Tendrils wanting. — Tendrils present on the lower stem. 
Leaves ovate-lanceolate, acute at both extremities. Leaves ovate,taper-pointed, heart-shaped at the base. 
Petioles (leaf-stalks) short. oe 
Petioles (l\eaf-stalks) long. 
Root not so fibrous, in section showing white wood. 
| Zaste bitter and nauseous. 
Root fibrous, in section showing a yellowish wood. 
_ Laste pleasantly bitter. | 
PREPARATION.—Small sections of the fresh root, cut from where the whole 
diameter is not greater than that of a goose-quill,* are to be chopped and weighed. 
: ce ihe woody portion of the root contains none of the alka | 
corroborated by Gerrard d (1883). 
loid; this fact was determined by Eberle (1869), and 
