SCUTELLARIA 305 



to countervail the copious mass of evidence from un- 

 questionable sources, which has been exhibited." 



In summing up, Dr. Thacher, who had condemned 

 all the so-called "cures," and all other remedies named, 

 writes of scutellaria: 



"Since the plant is not known to possess properties 

 inimical to the constitution, it merits the most persever- 

 ing examination and trial in every instance, in either 

 the human subject or brute creation. Every con- 

 sideration therefore conspires to urge the employment 

 of this article, and the result of every experiment ought 

 to be promptly promulgated." 



From the date of Thacher 's publication (1812) to the 

 present time, 1920, scutellaria has not commanded 

 much attention either in the press or from the medical 

 profession of the Eastern states. Except to the casual 

 student, the remarkable record of the drug has been 

 completely lost. 



In tracing the history of scutellaria, we find that 

 Lyman Spalding, M. D., in 1819, read a lengthy and 

 detailed paper before the New York Historical Society 

 on the "History and Use of Scutellaria Lateriflora in 

 Hydrophobia." This was soon afterward published in 

 pamphlet form of thirty pages, carrying as its frontis- 

 piece the illustration of Dr. Thacher. Its title page 

 was: 



"A History of the Introduction and Use of Scutel- 

 laria Lateriflora (Scullcap), as a Remedy for Preventing 

 and Curing Hydrophobia, Occasioned by the Bite of 

 Rabid Animals; with Cases; accompanied with a plate 

 of the plant, by Lyman Spalding, M. D. Read before 

 the New York Historical Society, September 14, 1819, 

 New York. Fruited by William Treadwell, and for sale 



