180 Botanic Drugs 



The older books state that this agent (the root) 

 has an action similar to ergot and is emmenagogue 

 and abortifacient. The drug has long been used 

 as a uterine hemostatic, the fl. being given in doses of 

 10 to 60 minims. Experiments on animals have 

 definitely shown that it does not have the effect 

 that ergot has in parallel experiments. There is 

 little reliable evidence as regards its action on the 

 human uterus, and, in view of the known activity 

 of ergot and pituitrin, no occasion for its employ- 

 ment. 



Crawford, in Jour. Pharmacol. and Exp. Ther., 

 March, 1910, demonstrated the presence of a poi- 

 sonous principle in cotton-seed meal under certain 

 conditions. It is a salt of pyrophosphoric acid. It 

 does not occur in the oil. 



k PYROXYLIN, SOLUBLE GUM COTTON, is official be- 

 cause used in the making of COLLODION, STYPTIC 

 COLLODION, and CANTHARIDAL COLLODION. The 

 use of these are well known and require no comment, 

 as they are outlined in surgical texts; but the FLEX- 

 IBLE COLLODION, U. S. P., is the better form for its 

 use as a protective; STYPTIC COLLODION, N. F., con- 

 tains 20 per cent tannic add; CANTHARIDAL COL- 

 LODION, U. S. P., contains 60 per cent cantharides. 

 Either this, or the CANTHARIDES CERATE may be 

 used as a vesicant. Cantharides is going out of use 

 as an internal remedy, but the tr. is used as a counter- 

 irritant. 



GRANATUM 



POMEGRANATE, Punica granatum. The bark is 

 nearly universally official, the juice in Mexico and 

 Spain, and the rind in Mexico and the Netherlands. 



PHARMACOLOGY. Anthelmintic, and active be- 



