FIELD NATURALISTS' CLUB. 209 



From the flowering summits is prepared a distilled water 

 useful as a vehicle in the composition of sedative potions. Lettuce 

 seeds serve to prepare an emulsion much appreciated as a refresh- 

 ing and cahning drink and very useful in infiamaiions of the 

 chest. (De G.) 



Wild Lettuce. Sonchus palidus. 



Chicoree Blanche (fr.) Lechuga del Pais (Sp.) 

 Sow Thistle. S. oleraceus L. 



Wild Lettuce is used in the French West Indies as a salad 

 vegetable, and the milky juice of Sow Thistle contains about "27 

 per cent, of India rubber. 



Por&phyllum ruderale Cass. Namii 6 Cas. (sp.) 



This plant is used on the Spanish Main as an antispasmodic 

 and sudorific. With the leaves and flowers which exhale a strong 

 disagreeable distinctive smell the}' make vapor and common baths, 

 on coming out of which a cupful of the infusion made with a 

 handful of the substance to 1 quart boiling water is given. The 

 spasms disappear immediately and the body is bathed in pers- 

 piration. (De G.) 



Pui Madame Ligne (Trd. f.) Oliganthes condensata Schultz. 

 Found on the Bocas Islands. The only one of the Com- 

 positee yielding a Timber in this country. It gives pieces of 

 x" — 10" x 12* — 15' and is valued for its durability and strength 

 (Criiger). 



Spilanthes Uliginosa Sw. 



Cresson de Para (p.) Chimapaga (Sp. Peco.) 



This plant (and others of the same family common in the 

 W.I.) is used as a masticory to alleviate toothache. (De G.) It is 

 also used as a vermifuge, prepared and used like Wormwood, 

 &c. 



Tussilago. Leria Nutaus D.C. 



Soldat de Napoleon (fr.) Bretonica (sp.) 



This common herb (as well as others of the same family) is 

 considered a good resolutive especially in opthalmia. Half a 

 handful of the herb is boiled in a tumblerful and a half of water, 

 till the liquid is reduced to one tumblerful : after straining it is 

 used in Lotions and local baths. The flowers are an ingredient 

 in Pectoral tisanes (De (I.) 



