68 BTRTHWORT. 



ber, situated on the germen, sessile, two-celled. The germen 

 is inferior, oblong, angular, surmounted by a very short style, 

 and a concave stisma with six divisions. The fruit is an oval 

 capsule, with six corners and six cells, and as many valves, each 

 cell containing numerous triangular seeds. Plate 6, fig. 1, (a) 

 the pistil, showing the inferior ovary, the very short style, and 

 the stigma divided into six parts, at the base of which the 

 anthers are situated ; (b) the ripe fruit, cut transversely to show 

 the six cells. 



The common Birthwort is found in most of the temperate 

 countries of the world. It occurs in Britain, but is not very 

 frequent, in woods, copses, and near the ruins of nunneries in 

 the south-east of the island. It flowers in July and August. 



The generic name is formed from ccpigos excellent, and Xoyjioc, 

 the puerperal state, in allusion to its reputed virtues in ex- 

 citing the lochial discharge ; it is called clematis from KXy)[j.ans, 

 a little vine. 



Qualities. — The root has a slight aromatic smell, and a 

 warm, bitterish taste. The juice gives a red tinge to blue 

 paper, and the aqueous infusion is not altered by sulphate of 

 iron. Spirit is the best menstruum for extracting the virtues 

 of the roots ; but by distillation in water a small quantity of 

 essential oil is obtained, having the odour and taste of the root. 

 Orfila enumerates this plant among the narcotico-acrid poison- 

 ous, but the quantity requisite to produce poisonous effects is 

 so large, that accidents very seldom occur. 



Medical Properties and Uses — Hippocrates, Galen, and 

 other writers, both of remote and recent times, highly extol the 

 powers of aristolochia. The root has been used for suppressing 

 uterine purgations, and as an alterant in gout. Dr. Gilibert attri- 

 butes to the infusion diuretic and emmenagogue properties, and 

 recommends the powder of the root in wine, to be given in chlo- 

 rosis, dropsical affections, intermittent fevers, and humid asthma. 

 The dose of the infusion is half an ounce ; of the powder from a 

 scruple to a drachm and a half. A modern author bears wit- 

 ness to the successful employment of a decoction of this root in 

 the form of clysters in the internal piles, which having suppu- 

 rated were near producing fistula. 



Dr. Cullen says, " In some cases of retention and chlorosis, as 

 a warm and stimulatina; medicine, I have found it useful. It 



