Botanic Remedies 87 



but patients objected to it on account of its very 

 disagreeable characteristics. 



ALETRIS 



STAR GRASS, BLAZING STAR, Aletris farinosa. Not 

 official. It is listed in the new National Formulary. 



This is a good bitter in 5- to 10-minim doses fl., 

 improving digestion. 



Pilcher, of the University of Nebraska, reported 

 in the Jour, of Phar. and Exper. Ther., Feb., 1916, 

 on the action of the plant drugs on the uterus. He 

 used longitudinal strips of the uterus, as commonly 

 employed in such experiments, and investigated 

 several drugs. The following ones depressed the 

 activity of the strips: Pulsatilla pratensis, Aletris 

 farinosa, Scrofularia marylandica, Valerian, and 

 Scutellaria lateriftora. If these findings are con- 

 firmed, aletris can be classed as an uterine sedative 

 in full doses. 



ALLIUM 



GARLIC, Allium sativum. Has long been classed 

 as stimulant, diuretic, expectorant, and rubefacient, 

 and much used in domestic practice, both internally 

 and as a poultice. It is listed in the National Formu- 

 lary. In these domestic uses neither garlic nor the 

 common onion (Allium cepa) are to be despised. 



In The Lancet, Sept. 11, 1915, Cook and Gabriel, 

 of Paddington Infirmary, report that a lotion of 

 garlic juice is employed by them in wound dressing, 

 and that it controls pus and relieves pain. They use 

 one part of the fresh juice in 3 or 4 parts of distilled 

 water. Free drainage is maintained and the wounds 

 are washed out with the solution twice a day. 



