MATERIA MEDIC A. 123 



been used in gout, rheumatism, and skin diseases, 

 both its corms and seeds containing a principle named 

 Colchicin. It is collected principally in Gloucester- 

 shire and in Germany.* 



SMILACE.E. 



Smilax officinalis, H. B. K., and 5. medica, Schlecht. 

 and Cham., woody climbers of New Granada and of 

 Mexico respectively, are the main sources of SARSA- 

 PARILLA, the adventitious rootlets of which have for 

 three centuries been largely used as an alterative 

 and tonic. We import some 150 tons annually, the 

 mealy or starchy varieties coming from Honduras, 

 Guatemala, and to a small extent from Para, and the 

 non-mealy varieties from Jamaica, Mexico, and Guay- 

 aquil.f 



NAIADACE^E. 



Elodea canadensis, Rich., which, since 1840, has been 

 looked upon as an unmitigated nuisance, is now said 

 to be a germicide that checks malaria and epidemic 

 diarrhoea. J 



GRAMINACE^E. 



Various substances obtained from the Grass tribe 

 appear in Pharmacopoeias, such as Sugar, Pearl Barley, 

 Rice-water, Groats, Flour, etc., but are merely vehicles 

 or foods, not active drugs. 



Andropogon Nardus, L., cultivated in Ceylon and 



* ' Pharmacographia,' pp. 636-9; Bentley and Trimen, iv, 

 pi. 288. 



f Ibid., pp. 639-47 ; ibid., iv, pi. 289-90. 



j Christy, ' New Commercial Plants/ No. 10, p. 37. 



