LIATRIS. BUTTON SNAKEROOT. 171 



spatulate, tapering at the base, often slightly and obtusely toothed, the 

 upper ones oblong, clasping. The flowers are bright purple and appear in 

 September and October. 



Habitat. In pine barrens from Virginia southward. 



These two species are described, since they represent the marked char, 

 acteristics of the genus. Several other species are or have been employed 

 medicinally, but they do not differ materially in effect from L. spicata. 



Parts Used. Of L. spicata, the root not official ; of L. odoratissima, 

 the leaves not official. 



Constituents. The rhizomes contain volatile oil and resin. The leaves 

 of L. odoratissima contain coumarin. 



Preparations. Fluid extracts and tinctures of L. spicata occur as com- 

 mercial articles, while L. odoratissima is employed in substance only. 



Medical Properties and Uses. L. spicata is one of the numerous 

 " snakeroots " or remedies for snake-bites. It probably possesses no anti- 

 dotal properties whatever, and the beneficial effects attributed to it are 

 doubtless due to the diaphoresis induced by the administration of large 

 quantities of hot decoction. As the drug possesses stimulating properties 

 a diaphoretic effect is readily induced in this manner, but there is every 

 reason to doubt its efficacy in cases of venomous snake-bites. 



L. odoratissima deserves much more attention from the fact that it is 

 largely used as an adulterant of smoking tobacco, than from any demon- 

 strated medicinal virtues. There is abundant evidence to show that the 

 leaves of this plant enter largely into the manufacture of many grades of 

 smoking tobacco, especially those employed in our domestic cigarettes. 

 And the author is convinced, from personal experience and observation, 

 that the deleterious effects produced by smoking tobacco thus adulterated 

 are much greater than those produced by the consumption of pure tobacco 

 in even great excess. The inhalation of a few whiffs of the smoke from 

 a cigarette made of this adulterated material, provided the inhalations are 

 made in quick succession, produces a train of cerebral sensations of an 

 intoxicating character as much different from any effect of tobacco alone 

 as could be imagined ; and prolonged use of such cigarettes invariably 

 produces great derangement of the digestive organs, very little resembling 

 the dyspepsia induced by excessive use of tobacco, together with cardiac 

 symptoms often of a distressing character. And again, the habit of smok- 

 ing coumarin in this form appears to become more inveterate, more ex- 

 acting, than that of the use of tobacco alone, so that the unhappy victim 

 for such he should be called is never comfortable except when indulging. 

 Hence it happens that cigarette-smoking in this country, in its effects 

 upon adolescents especially, is assuming the proportions of a great na- 

 tional evil, and is producing far more deleterious effects than in other 

 countries where it is practised to a greater extent but with different ma- 

 terial. 



