ABSINTHIUM 429 



somewhat mint-like. Constituents: Tanacetin, CnHieC^ (a bitter principle), 

 malic acid, volatile oil (0.25 per cent.), tannin, resin, etc. Stimulant, tonic, 

 emmenagogue, and anthelmintic. The dose of the volatile oil is from I to 

 5 TTJJ ; used also as a domestic abortif acient and as a remedy for amenorrhea. Its 

 use should be prohibited except upon physician's order, as it is a dangerous 

 drug. Dose: 15 to 60 gr. (i to 4 Gm.), in infusion. 



578. ABSINTHIUM. WORMWOOD, N.F. The leaves and tops of Artemis'ia 

 absin'thium Linne". Off. U.S. P. 1890. Consists of the grayish, softly, hairy, 

 longitudinally ribbed or furrowed stems with the petiolate, pinnatifid, pubes- 

 cent leaves mostly broken beyond recognition; flower-heads in racemes, 

 hemispherical, about 3 mm. (% in.) broad; receptacle small, hairy, convex, 

 with all yellow, tubular florets ; akenes obovoid, without pappus ; odor strongly 

 aromatic; taste intensely bitter and nauseous. Constituents: Tannin, resin, 

 malates, absinthin, CuEUoC^ (a bitter glucoside), absinthic acid (probably 

 succinic acid), and a dark green volatile oil, about I per cent, (mainly absin- 

 thol), which has the odor of the drug, and when mixed with alcohol and oil of 

 anise constitutes the absinthe of the French. Stomachic, tonic, anthelmintic 

 and febrifuge. Dose: 15 to 60 gr. (i to 4 Gm.). 



Isolation of Absinthin, Obtained by precipitating infusion, previously de- 

 prived of color, with tannin. The alcoholic extract of this precipitate is mixed 

 with lead oxide and again extracted with alcohol. Absinthia deposits on evapora- 

 tion of this tincture. 



579. ARTEMISIA. Nearly all the varieties of Artemis'ia seem to have similar 

 properties anthelmintic. Besides absinthium and santonica, some common 

 indigenous plants of this genus are more or less used in medicine: 



579 a. ARTEMISIA ABROTANUM. SOUTHERNWOOD. OLD MAN. 



579 b. ARTEMISIA VULGARIS. MUGWORT. Also alterative and emmena- 

 gogue, and externally as a vulnerary. 



579 c. ARTEMISIA FRIGID A. MOUNTAIN SAGE. Antiperiodic; first introduced 

 as a substitute for quinine. 



579 d. ARTEMISIA TRIDENTATA. SAGE BRUSH of the Rocky Mountains. A. 

 trifolia, the dwarf variety of the above, and A. dracunculus Tetragon, are 

 well known, but only used locally in making domestic remedies of aromatic, 

 bitter, and tonic character. 



580. ERIGERON. FLEABANE. DAISY FLEABANE. The herb of Erig'eron 

 an'nuus Persoon, E. philadelphicus Linne', and E. strigosus Muhlenberg. 

 Habitat: North America and Europe. All resemble one another and are 

 indiscriminately employed in medicine. They have erect stems, much 

 branched at the top, bearing terminal corymbs of wheel-shaped flowers 

 having delicate, thread-like, white or purple ray-florets and yellow disk- 

 florets; all parts of the plant are pubescent. Taste bitterish; odor feebly aro- 

 matic, due to a small quantity of volatile oil. Diuretic and stomachic, some- 

 times used in the treatment of gravel and dropsy. Dose: 30 to 60 gr. 

 (2 to 4 Gm.), in infusion. 



581. ERIGERON CANADENSE Linne. CANADA FLEABANE. Habitat: North 

 America. (Herb.) This differs from the other species principally in 

 having a bristly stem and flowers with very inconspicuous ray-florets and 

 straw-colored disk-florets. Odor aromatic; taste bitterish, somewhat acrid. 

 It contains a bitter principle, and a volatile oil which is OFFICIAL in the 

 U.S. P. VIII. Properties and dose about the same as preceding. 



581 a. OLEUM ERIGERONTIS, U.S.P. VIII. (CANADA FLEABANE.) A limpid, 

 straw-colored liquid becoming thick and dark on exposure; odor aromatic, per- 

 sistent ; taste characteristic. Adulterated with the oil of fireweed, Erechthites 

 hieracifolia (567). Stimulant and diuretic, resembling oil of turpentine in 

 action, especially as a hemostatic, but is less irritating and stimulating. 

 Dose: 10 to 30 iijj (0.6 to 2 mils). 



582. GNAPHALIUM. LIFE EVERLASTING. The herb of Gnapha'lium poly- 

 ceph'alum Michaux. Habitat: North America. Leaves lanceolate, entire, 

 woolly, sessile on the erect stem, which is branched, and bears dense termi- 

 nal clusters of small obovate flower-heads surrounded by dry, whitish in. 



