370 GNETACE^. 



admiuistering the decoction himself in a number of cases* of 

 rheumatism, acute and chronic^ he comes to the conclusion that 

 the plant is especially valuable in acute muscular and articular 

 forms of the disease : the pain is relieved, the pulse becomes less 

 rapid and softer, and the respiration easier. Within 5 or 6 

 days the temperature becomes normal, the swelling of the 

 joints disappears, and after about 12 days' treatment the patient 

 is cured. In several cases marked diuresis was observed before 

 or about the time that the temperature began to decrease ; the 

 drug was also observed to improve the digestion and promote 

 the action of the bowels. In chronic cases the action of Ephe- 

 dra was less marked^ and in two cases of rheumatic sciatica and 

 osteo-myelitis hardly any effect was produced, but it is only 

 fair to remark that antipyrine, salicylate of soda, antifebrine, 

 salol, &C-, also failed to afford relief in these two cases. The 

 decoction used by Dr. Biektinc was made with 3'85 grams of 

 the drug to 180 grams of water. Kobert has shown that 0*20 

 gram of ephedrine injected into the veins of dogs and cats 

 produces violent excitement, general convulsions, exopthalmia 

 and mydriasis. {J^^ouveanx Eeinedes^ -^.ug. 8th, 1891.) 



Description. — E. mlgaris is a low-growing, rigid, tufted 

 shrub, with usually a gnarled stem and erect green branches 

 which are striate and nearly smooth. Bracts connate to the 

 middle, not margined, eciliate, rarely produced into minute 

 linear leaves. Spikelets i to ^ inch, subsessile, often whorled ; 

 fruiting with often fleshy, red, succulent bracts, 1 to 2 seeded. 

 Seeds bi-convex or plano-convex. 



E. pachyclada has the same characters, but is usually more 

 scabrid. Sir J. D. Hooker remarks: — "I have many specimens 

 from N.-W. India that I do not know whether to refer to 

 mlgaris or pachyclada .^^ The twigs of these plants have a 

 terebinth inate and astringent taste, and sections when magni- 

 fied show the tissues to be loaded with an inspissated red juice. 



Chemical compositiotK—Bv. N. Nagai {Tokio Chem. Society, 

 through Chem. ZeiL, 1890, p. 441) obtained the alkaloid 

 Ephedrine from the stem of Ephedra vulgaris (Ma-oh). Its 



