430 COMPOSITE 



volucres; florets yellow, tubular; odor pleasant, taste aromatic, bitterish. 

 It probably possesses little medicinal value, but is a popular domestic rem- 

 edy, used as a tea in diarrhea, hemorrhages, etc., and externally in a fomen- 

 tation as a vulnerary. Dose: 30 to 60 gr. (2 to 4 Gm.). 



583. HELENIUM. SNEEZEWORT. The herb of Helen'ium autumna'le Linn6. 

 Habitat: North America. A square-stemmed herb, the leaves and flowers 

 of which, when powdered and snuffed up the nose, produce violent sneezing, 

 hence the name sneezewort. It has been used as an errhine. 



584. ACHILLEA. YARROW. MILFOIL. The herb of Achille'a millefo'lium 

 Linne, common in Europe and North America. Stem hairy, branched at top 

 bearing the large corymbs of white flower-heads, each composed of five pis- 

 tillate ray-florets, and greenish-white, perfect disk-florets; leaves lanceolate, 

 thrice pinnatifid, the divisions linear. In market, however, the leaves are 

 broken or crumpled, and the flower-heads destitute of florets; odor chamomile- 

 like; taste aromatic, bitterish, and astringent. Used as a vulnerary and occa- 

 sionally as an internal remedy for hemorrhages and mucous discharges, as in 

 consumption. Dose: 30 to 60 gr. (2 to 4 Gm.), in infusion. 



585. TUSSILAGO. COLTSFOOT, N.F. The herb of Tussila'go farfar'a Linne 1 . 

 Habitat: Europe, and Middle and Northern United States, along the banks 

 of streams. Demulcent, popularly used in the treatment of coughs (hence 

 the name, from tussis, cough). Its expectorant properties are not pro- 

 nounced, however. Dose: 30 to 60 gr. (2 to 4 Gm.), in decoction. 



586. CARDUUS BENEDICTUS. BLESSED THISTLE. The herb of Cni'cus 

 benedic'tus Gaertner. Habitat: Levant and Europe. The drug consists 

 of the woolly stems, with the soft, spiny leaves and a few of the large, ovate, 

 yellow flower-heads; it has a slight, unpleasant odor and a very bitter taste. 

 In cold infusion it is a bitter tonic, in hot infusion in large quantities diapho- 

 retic and emetic. Cnicus marianus Gaertner has been used for the same 

 purposes, and in Europe as a depurative. 



587. SELPHIUM LACINIATUM Linne. ROSIN WEED. Habitat: United States. 

 (Herb or root.) It has given good results in intermittent fevers, and in dry, 

 obstinate coughs, its action being somewhat like grindelia. 



588. MUTISIA VICLEFOLIA. CHINCHIROCOMA. This herb is said to be a 

 valuable antispasmodic and cardiac tonic. 



589. ELEPHANTOPUS TOMENTOSUS Linne. ELEPHANT'S FOOT. Habi- 

 tat: United States. (Herb.) Diaphoretic and expectorant; in large doses 

 emetic. Dose: 5 to 30 gr. (0.3 to 2 Gm.). 



590. RUDBECKIA LACINIATA Linn^. THIMBLE WEED. CONE FLOWER. This 

 indigenous herb is used in catarrhal affections of the urinary tract. Diuretic 

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



591. BIDENS BIPINNATA Torrey and Gray. SPANISH NEEDLES. An indigen- 

 ous herb, popularly used as an emmenagogue. Dose: 15 to 60 gr. (i to 4 Gm.). 



592. SENECIO AUREUS Linn6, N.F. LIFE-ROOT. RAGWORT. (Herb.) Used 

 by the Indians as a vulnerary. Emmenagogue. Dose: 30 to 60 gr. (2 to 4 

 Gm.), in infusion, decoction, or fluidextract. 



593. SOLIPAGO. GOLDEN ROD. The herb of Solida'go odo'ra Aiton. (See 

 Conspectus.) Aromatic, stimulant, carminative, and diaphoretic, in infu- 

 sion. Used also to disguise the taste of other medicines. 



594. LACTUCARIUM. LACTUCARIUM 



LETTUCE-OPIUM 

 The concrete milk-juice of Lactu'ca viro'sa Linnet . / 



BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS. A biennial, rank-smelling herb, abounding in a 

 milky, acrid juice. Root napiform; stem 2 to 4 feet high, erect, slender, 

 glaucous, slightly prickly below, covered here and there with blood-red spots. 

 Leaves with midrib prickly, otherwise smooth, finely toothed; radical leaves 



