Botanic Remedies 161 



the streptococci, staphylococci, and other pyogenic 

 organisms." 



THERAPEUTICS. Now this may not all be true. 

 I am not prepared to say it is all true; but, simply 

 because a host of physicians are employing the 

 drug empirically and, many of them, making im- 

 possible claims for it, does not prejudice me against 

 the drug itself. So I have used gallons of its fluid 

 preparations in an effort to draw some personal 

 conclusions. Considerable space is given to it here 

 because it is a much-debated drug. And these are 

 my conclusions: 



Externally (2 fluidounces fl. to 1 pint water) it 

 is a good wet dressing, severe cases requiring greater 

 concentration. It stops the formation of pus in 

 many cases; but it does not, of itself, sufficiently 

 promote healing. The drug is of use externally in 

 cases where sound surgical practice indicates a wet 

 dressing, and it is not useful otherwise. As a zymo- 

 cide echinacea is inferior to the commonly used 

 antiseptics and germicides, but it often serves well 

 to follow them, being itself followed, later, by agents 

 more promotive of healing. It has some effect, 

 locally, in relieving pain. 



The bites of insects are much relieved by it, locally 

 applied. It has no destructive effect upon the 

 venom of reptiles, not being an oxidizing agent; 

 but it i's a good dressing in these cases to prevent 

 the common septic infection developing in the bite. 

 Apply in a concentrated state or inject into the 

 wound one of the echinacea preparations devised 

 for hypodermic use. It is unwise to depend upon 

 echinacea alone in the treatment of bites from a 

 rabid dog or a reptile, or to treat with it a pene- 



