36 NAT. ORDER. ARACE^. 



when tliey appear in naked clusters, of a bright scarlet color, 

 making a very conspicuous appearance in the swamps and damp 

 woods where they are most commonly found growing. 



This plant is a native of North and South America, and is quite 

 common in almost every part of the United States, growing in 

 Rwamps, in damp woods, by the side of small streams, along ditches, 

 and in other moist shady places. The root is the medicinal part 

 of the plant, which in a recent and lactescent state is extremely 

 acrimonious, and uj^on being chewed, excites an intoleralile sensa- 

 tion of burning and pricking in the tongue, worse than that of 

 Capsicum bacatum, the strongest kind of Cayenne pepper, which 

 continues for several hours. This active principle is a peculiar 

 substance, Aroine, highly volatile, having no affinity with water, 

 alcohol, oil or acids, and J)ecoming an inflammable gas by heat or 

 distillation. When cut in slices and applied to the skin, it has 

 been known to produce blisters. This acrimony, however, is gra- 

 dually lost by drying, and may be so far dissij^ated by the applica- 

 tion of heat, as to leave the root a bland farinaceous aliment ; its 

 medical efficacy, therefore, resides wholly in the active volatile 

 matter, and consequently the powdered root must lose much of its 

 power on being long kept. Lewis says, " the fresh and moderately 

 dried roots were digested in water, in wine, in proof spirit, and in 

 rectified spirit, with and without heat : the liquors received no 

 color, and but very little if any taste. In distillation, neither spirit 

 nor water, brought over any sensible impregnation from the arum. 

 The root nevertheless loses in those operations almost the whole 

 of its pungency." Dr Cullen considers it a general stimulant, not 

 only exciting the acti\'ity of the digestive powers, where they hap- 

 pen to be languid, but stimulating the whole system ; in proof of 

 this he observes, that it has been useful in intermittent fevers. The 

 ancient writers condemned its use in any form, they fancied that it 

 possessed poisonous properties, and was wholly incapable of being 

 valuable as a medicine in any complaint whatever. 



