596 VALERIAN 



colour, gradually becoming yellow-brown, and consisting 

 of a mixture of esters, chiefly of the angelates and valerian- 

 ates of butyl and amyl. 



ACTIONS AND USES. Chamomile flowers are mildly 

 stimulant, aromatic, stomachic, and carminative ; full doses 

 produce emesis in dogs. The infusion is sometimes given in 

 atonic dyspepsia and diarrhoea. Horses and cattle take one 

 to two ounces ; calves, sheep, and swine, a drachm or more. 

 The flowers are occasionally used for fomentations and 

 poultices. Like other volatile oils, that of chamomile lowers 

 reflex irritability, and hence is useful in dyspepsia, diarrhoea, 

 and spasmodic cough. Dose of the oil for the dog, Tl\i. to 

 lT[iii. on sugar. 



VALERIAN 



VALERIANS RHIZOMA. The dried rhizome and roots of 

 Valeriana officinalis. Collected in the autumn (B.P.). 

 Nat. Ord. Valerianacese. 



The official valerian consists of a short, yellow-brown, 

 tuberous rhizome, about the thickness of the little finger, 

 with attached radicles, shrivelled, brittle, and of an earthy- 

 brown colour. It has a penetrating odour, becoming strong 

 and even foetid by keeping, and a camphoraceous, un- 

 pleasant, rather bitter taste. It contains 1 to 2 per cent, of 

 a strong-smelling, active volatile oil, isomeric with oil of 

 turpentine (C 10 H 16 ), and the oily, acrid valerianic acid 

 (C 5 H 10 2 ), which is also present in the berries of the guelder 

 rose, in cod-liver oil, and decaying cheese, and may be 

 obtained artificially by distilling amylic alcohol, and treating 

 the distillate with caustic alkali. 



ACTIONS AND USES. Valerian and its volatile oil are topical 

 irritants, stimulants, and antispasmodics. In large doses 

 they paralyse the brain and spinal cord, lower blood- 

 pressure, and slow the pulse. Valerianic acid has no special 

 stimulant action, but is said to resemble acetic acid. The 

 valerianates accordingly do not exhibit the action of 

 valerian or of the volatile oil. 



MEDICINAL USES. Valerian resembles asafcetida, the other 

 gum-resins, camphor, and sumbul or musk-root impoi 



