AND PHARMACOPCEIA. 501 



KERMES Mi:^ER J^Jj. — SuIpJmr Stlbiatum Fuscum. A 

 red powder prepared from antimony, nearly the same as the 

 golden sulphur of antimony, and recommended as an alterative, 

 in doses from one to two or three drachms. See Antimony, 

 and Golden Sulppiur of Antimony. 



KINO. — Kino. The greater part of the kino used in this 

 country at present comes from the East Indies. It is a most 

 powerful asti'ingent, and is often successfully employed to 

 combat obstinate diarrhoea, red water, and other diseases de- 

 l^endent on a relaxed state of any organ or viscus. The dose, 

 in substance, is from two to four drachms. A tincture of kino 

 is likewise made, which may be administered in doses of from 

 three or four to six drachms, or more. In prescribing the 

 tincture, it is necessary to recollect that nitrate of silver, mu- 

 riate of mercury, sulphate of iron, acetate of lead, the alkalies, 

 and strong acids are incompatible with it. 



KRAMERI^ RADIX. Krameria, or Ratanhy Root. 

 This plant is a native of Peru, and flowers throughout the year. 

 It is but little known in this country as a medicine, but has been 

 very succesfully used on the Continent in all cases requiring 

 astringents. It is also accounted stomachic, and its astringent 

 qualities are such, that it has frequently been employed as a 

 styptic. It may be exhibited in the same doses as kino. 



LARD. See Hog's Lard. 



LAUDANUM. — Tinctura Opii. A popular term for tinc- 

 ture of opium. See OriUM. 



LAURUS CAMPHORA. See Camphor. 



LauPvUS Cassia, See Cassia. 



Laurus Cinnamojuum. See Cinnnamon. 



Laukus Nobilis. The Bay Tree. Laurel. This tree, 

 although a native of the south of Europe, bears the winter of 

 this country with impunity. Both the leaves and berries contain 

 an essential oil. The latter ai'e generally brought to us from the 

 Mediterranean, and are more pungent than the former, which 

 are principally used in fomentations. A considerable quantity 

 of oil is obtained from the berries by expression, and is some- 

 times used as a stomachic in veterinary medicine. The dose is 

 from half a drachm to a drachm. 



[Oil of bays forms a useful stimulating and digestive oint- 

 ment. — Ed.] 



LAXATIVES. ISIedicines that open the bowels moderately, 

 so as to increase their secretions, without greatly stimulating or 

 irritating them. They consist of castor oil, olive, or linseed oil, 

 the neutral salts, such as Epsom or Glauber's salts, or even 

 common salt, and small doses of aloes, as in the following 

 formula : — 



K K 3 



