163-3 
We have provings in the Homceopathic Materia Medica of the Scotch fir, 
Pinus sylvestris ; the sugar-pine, Pinus Lambertiana ; savin, Funiperus Sabina, and 
of Cupressus australis, besides those members of the order treated of in this work. 
History and Habitat.— Abies nigra is a native of the Northern States of 
America, as far west as Wisconsin, and of the Canadas and British America, 
where it flowers in early spring and matures its fruit in autumn. The black 
spruce greatly resembles the Norway spruce (Adées excelsa, Lindl.) in its growth, 
and is judged by many prominent arborists and arboriculturists to be much more 
graceful in the drooping curves of its branches and the luxuriance of its foliage ; 
its twin species, the white spruce (Aédves a/ba, Michx.), is certainly one of the very 
finest of all evergreens. ; 
Concerning the uses of this tree, and other American spruces, Rafinesque 
says," “ The bark of spruce trees is sudorific, and in extensive use for tanning 
leather,+ also to dye of a brick-red color. The inner bark is used by empirics, in 
powder and tea, for bowel and stomach complaints, rheumatism, and gravel. The 
timber is valuable for masts and spars,” in fact the most valuable we have for use 
in this direction. “The resin exuding from the trees is nearly like frankincense. 
Josselin says that it is very good in powder over wounds to reproduce the flesh. 
Spruce beer is an American beverage, made by the Indians with twigs and cones 
of spruces, boiled in maple syrup. Now it is chiefly made with molasses and 
yeast; when no spruce is put in, it is only molasses beer. The proper spruce beer 
is a palatable and healthy drink, powerfully antiscorbutic. The discoverers of 
Canada were cured of the scurvy by it, since which it has become in common 
use in Canada, the Northern States, and even in Europe. The essence of sprucet 
is an article of exportation, used as naval stores; spruce beer may be made by it 
in a short time, and anywhere.’’§ 
Abies nigra has no officinal recognizance in the Pharmacopceias. 
PART USED AND PREPARATION.—Take two parts by weight of the gum, 
dissolve in nine parts of 95 per cent. alcohol, and filter. This tincture has a beau- 
tiful orange color by transmitted light, the full odor and taste of raw spruce gum, 
and an acid reaction. 
CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS.—The resin of this species is scanty and insuf- 
ficient to produce pitch or turpentine in marketable quantity. The “ essence of 
spruce,” before mentioned, probably contains an essential oil. The tincture con-— 
tains a large quantity of resin; more in fact than that of Abies Canadensis. The 
specific chemical bodies and properties are unknown. 
* Medical Flora, vol, 2, p. 183. 
+ Abies Canadensis, Michx., Hemlock spruce. 
t A concentrated aqueous decoction of the young twigs. 
@ Spruce beer may be made from the extract as follows: Take one part of essence of spruce and seventy-six parts, 
of water, boil, strain, allow to cool, and add ninety-six parts warm water, seven ne molasses and one Fe of = 2 
_ Allow the mixture to ferment, and bottle strongly while fermenting. 
“eating 
