Botanic Remedies 101 



In large doses baptisia is a violent emeto-cathartic, 

 and in smaller doses is laxative and stimulates the 

 gastro-intestinal mucous membrane. It is said to 

 stimulate the liver and to be antiseptic. 



On the whole, baptisia must be regarded as an 

 active agent, useful medicinally only in small doses. 



THERAPEUTICS. Whatever antiseptic properties 

 the drug may or may not possess, it is admittedly 

 most effective in the form of a fresh decoction. 

 In the early days, such a dressing for gangrenous 

 conditions and putrid discharges was justified; but 

 in these days of effective antiseptic dressings of 

 demonstrated activity, there is no occasion to 

 employ baptisia. 



As an internal remedy many claims have been 

 made for baptisia, but they all unite in commending 

 it for septic and typhoid conditions, such as typhoid 

 fever, fetid evacuations, ulcerative conditions, and de- 

 praved secretions. More conservative clinicians of 

 the Homeopathic and Eclectic Schools no longer 

 employ it in typhoid fever, limiting its use to "ty- 

 phoid conditions." Also the opinion is growing that 

 the drug is of value only when used very early. 

 Dosage averages about one drop of the fl. or 2 or 3 

 drops "Mother tincture." 



My own employment of the drug causes me to 

 respect the views of gentlemen who commend it, 

 as it has acted well in 2- to 5-drop doses fl. in some 

 minor cases in which I have employed it, chiefly 

 dysenteric cases. I believe it possesses real utility 

 in stimulating normal activity of the intestinal glandular 

 structures; but I am not prepared to believe it pos- 

 sesses any specific effect upon septic processes. 

 Certainly what little is known of its pharmacology 



