CIMICIFUGA 61 



s" "Infuse a handful of the roots in a quart of boiling 

 * vater, and take in doses of a common-sized teacup full, 

 ,hree or four times a day. We are constrained, how- 

 ever, to notice one circumstance connected with this 

 subject; that the effect produced upon the system by a 

 large dose of the tincture of the rattle-root, (which is 

 sometimes used instead of the tea), in some instances 

 is very alarming, though we have heard of no case 

 in which any bad consequences have followed its 

 use." 



It is interesting to note that Howard calls attention 

 to the fact that the effect of the infusion is not marked 

 by the alarming action of a large dose of the drug, 

 as is the case with the tincture. The reason is evidently 

 because the watery menstruum does not carry the ener- 

 getic resinous compounds that are present in such large 

 quantities in the alcoholic liquid. This indicates the 

 watchful care of the early investigators of botanic 

 drugs, and perhaps the error of the alcoholic substi- 

 tutors. 1 



Following the writers above mentioned came the 

 Eclectic fathers, as well as the founders of the Pharma- 

 copeia, and of the United States Dispensatory, all of 

 whom gave to "Macrotys" its full value. Among these 

 may be mentioned Beach, Dunglison, Wood, Griffith, 

 Lee and King, to the last of whom (an ardent believer 

 in macrotys) is unquestionably due the conspicuous 

 position the drug has attained in Eclectic literature, as 

 well, probably, as a large share of its popularity in other 

 directions. Professor Dunglison, 1843, placed macrotys 

 with the special sedatives, stating that "it unites with a 

 tonic power, the property of stimulating secretions, 



1 In the opinion of the writer of these notes a pharmaceutical blunder has been made 

 in the lavish use of alcohol in plant pharmacy. 



