SAPONARIA SOAPWORT. 103 



Part Used. — The flowering tops — not official. 



Constituents. — St. John's wort has as yet yielded to analysis nothing 

 more interesting than a peculiar red coloring matter, and nothing what- 

 ever to inspire confidence in its therapeutic activity. 



Preparations. — There are no ofiicial preparations. The flowering tops, 

 digested with olive or linseed oil, yield a yellowish-red product, termed 

 oleum hyperici, or red oil, which is a preparation considerably used in do- 

 mestic practice. 



Medical Properties and Uses. — In ancient times, when nature unaided 

 was supposed to be incompetent to heal a cut or cure a contusion, St. 

 John's wort was very highly esteemed, and, it may be added, it is still 

 esteemed by those who hold the same opinions of nature's powers. Li 

 scientific medicine, however, it holds no place, having become obsolete 

 long ago. One author only of comparatively recent date considers "the 

 saturated tincture nearly as valuable as that of arnica for bruises, etc." 

 As tincture of arnica, however, apart from the alcohol which it contains, 

 is of doubtful efficacy in these cases, the above statement does not tend to 

 inspire faith in St. John's wort. 



CARYOPHYLLACE/E. 



Character of the Order. — Herbs, with stems swollen at the joints, op- 

 posite, entire leaves, and regular flowers. Sepals 4 or 5, distinct or coher- 

 ing, persistent. Petals 4 or 5, with narrow claws, sometimes wanting. 

 Stamens distinct, not more than twice the number of the sepals, hypogy- 

 nous or perigynous. Ovary solitary, often supported on a stalk, commonly 

 1-celled, occasionally 3- to 5-celled, with a free central placenta ; styles 2 

 to 5, sometimes united into one. Fruit a 1-celled, many-seeded capsule, 

 opening by 2 to 5 valves or by teeth at the apex. 



Few strictly North American species of this large order are known to 

 possess medicinal virtues. Indeed, plants of this order are everywhere 

 characterized by blandness and an absence of active or irritating properties. 



SAPONARIA. — SoAPWORT. 



Saponaria officinalis Linne. — Soapioort, Bouncing Bet. 



Description. — Calyx : sepals united, forming a cylindrical tube, di^dded 

 at the apex into five pointed teeth. Corolla : i^etals 5, limb somewhat 

 cordate, claw long and angular with an appendage at the top. Stamens 

 10, longer than the calyx. Styles 2. Capsule short-stalked, 1-celled, 4- 

 toothed, many-seeded. 



A perennial herb, strongly rooted, with erect stem 1 to 2 feet high. 

 Leaves oval, entire, pointed, 3-ribbed, connate. Flowers in axillary and 

 terminal clusters, pale rose-colored or nearly white, often double, appear- 

 ing from July to September. 



