Botanic Remedies 85 



not important. Various textbooks ascribe numer- 

 ous physiologic activities to horse-chestnut, obvi- 

 ously based upon the Homeopathic "provings" of 

 the drug, which are not, if based upon the Amer- 

 ican horse-chestnut, worth the paper they are 

 printed on, for I have "proved" the drug on my- 

 self, and the Homeopathic "provers" certainly 

 need to try again. The drug does constipate, prob- 

 ably from its tannin. As grown in the United 

 States, I don't believe the drug to be narcotic in 

 any appreciable degree; certainly I got no such 

 results. But the tannin in it seems to be in a form 

 peculiarly efficacious for local application in the 

 form of ointment or suppository in the treatment 

 of hemorrhoids. I have verified this in many cases; 

 but believe horse-chestnut to be of very little value 

 when administered internally. 



It is not to be expected that tannin-bearing drugs, 

 when taken by the mouth, will affect the lower 

 bowel. See "Tannic Acid." 



OHIO BUCKEYE, Aesculus glabra. This is a much 

 more active species, containing an acrid and poison- 

 ous principle, also not well defined, but a glucosid 

 with an action somewhat similar to cocculus indicus, 

 which latter intensely stimulates the medulla and 

 increases intestinal secretion and peristalsis, and, 

 as well, stimulating respiration. As Ohio buckeye 

 is said to stimulate the portal circulation in small 

 doses, it may be due to this glucosid. Large doses 

 have a strychnine-like action; death results from 

 coma when the drug is taken in lethal doses. Cer- 

 tainly buckeye is an active drug. I have used its 

 fluidextract in doses of 1 to 3 minims in atonic con- 

 stipation with hemorrhoids, and, in several cases, 



