, see” “ORD. XX. Personate. | GRATIOUA OFFICINALIS: 
Gratiola as a perfectly safe and useful purgative, declaring their 
repeated experience of its. efficacy, without ever observing any 
‘bad consequence to follow its use. But as it is very uncertain in 
its effects, the employment of this medicine requires the pre- 
caution of a gradual increase of its dose. This plant has commonly 
been used in hydropical diseases ; and in moderate doses it is said 
not only to act as a hydragogue, but also to manifest a diuretic 
character ;* and instances of its good effects in ascites and anasarca, 
are related by many respectable practical writers.‘ Gesner and 
Bergius found a scruple of the powder a sufficient dose, as ‘in this 
quantity it frequently excited nausea or vomiting; others have 
given it to half a dram, two scruples, a dram, and even more.# 
An extract of the root of this plant is said to be more efficacious 
‘than the plant itself, and exhibited in the dose of half a dram or 
a dram in dysenteries, produces the best effects.*. We are likewise 
told by Kostrzewski,' that in the Hospitals at Vienna, three maniacal 
patients were perfectly recovered by its use; and in the most con- 
firmed cases of lues venerea it effected a compleat cure: it usually 
acted by increasing the urinary, cutaneous, or salivary discharges.’ 
‘ Heurn. Prax. Med. p. 332. Camerar. Hort. Med. &c. p. 69. Ettmul. 
Oper. tom. 1. p.716. Heluicb. Misc. Nat. Cur. Dec. 3. A. 5. et 6 obs. 67, p. 
133. Jocl. Oper. Med. tom. 4. lib. 4. Hartm. Oper. Med. Chym. p. 60. 
« Chomel gave half a dram, Hermann two scruples. Many employed the fresh 
plant in decoction with the addition of cinnamon, mace, ginger, ee liquorice, 
&c. See Geoffroy (M. M.) and others, 
* Boulduc}. c. Kramer Tent. Bot. p. 18. = it is said to have similar effects 
£0 fitane ef ipecacuanha. 
* Diss. cit. p. 64. 
