Sect. V.] Materia MecUca. "9 



tnry. The important station they now hold in 

 medical prescriptions is well understood. 



Several of the mineral and vegetable Poisons 

 have been either iirst introduced into the materia 

 medica. or used with unprecedented freedom in the 

 course of the period under review. As a specimen 

 of these it may be proper to mention Arsenic, Co- 

 nium Macidatum, Atropa Belladonna, Solanum Dul- 

 camara, IlyoscyamuSy and Datura Slra/noniam., 

 which, with several others^ have been often and 

 usefully employed by modern physicians. 



The introduction of I lie Cai^olina Pink-Root 

 (Spigelia Marylandica), by Dr. Garden, of South 

 Carolina ; of the Seneka Snake-Root (Polygala Se- 

 neka), by Dr. Tennant, of Virginia; o^ Gum Kino, 

 by Dr. Fothergill; oi Cuprxtm Ammonia turn, and 

 of many nQ\Y Acids, by various persons, into me- 

 dical use, may also be ranked among the less 

 important of the class of improvements now under 

 consideration. 



Finally, it would be difficult to mention a single 

 important article in the materia medica which, 

 jn the hands of the physicians of the eighteenth 

 century, has not been better understood, better 

 prepared, more extensively applied, or rendered 

 more convenient and efficacious in its combina^ 

 tions, than in preceding times. Were it possible 

 to include ip this brief review a further detail of 

 particulars, it would be easy to mention many 

 great names, and various brandies of science, to 

 which the materia medica h<is been laid under 

 great obHgations in the course of this active and 

 event fol period. 



