210 Botanic Drugs 



in several countries as a coloring agent of no thera- 

 peutic influence. 



KOLA 



KOLA NUT, COLA, Cola acuminata, or Sterculia 

 acuminata. Not official in the U. S., but is recog- 

 nized in eight other countries. In some standards 

 known as C. vera. Active on account of its content 

 of caffeine and theobromine. See "Caffeine." Kola 

 is merely one of the caffeine-bearers, and what is 

 said under caffeine covers kola. Dose, 15 grains, as 

 a mild caffeine-tonic and stomachic. Kola is an 

 over-rated drug. The N. F. gives the dose as 1 

 drachm, which seems to me to be excessive. 



KRAMERIA 



PERUVIAN RHATANY, Krameria triandria. De- 

 leted from the ninth U. S. P., otherwise universally 

 official. It is strange what a host of tannin-bearers 

 are in official standards, even long after they drop 

 out of professional esteem. See "Gambir." What 

 is said of it applies to krameria. Dose of krameria, 

 15 grains. Gambir is to be preferred. 



LACTUCARIUM 



LETTUCE, Lactuca virosa, is official in Hungary, 

 Mexico, the Netherlands, Spain, and the U. S. 

 Lactuca sativa is official in Mexico and Serbia. 

 L. altissima is a suitable substitute for L. virosa; 

 it is used by Aubergier, who has given the species 

 comparative study. 



A mild hypnotic said to contain traces of hyoscy- 

 amine. Only the wild species of lettuce yield lactu- 

 carium in any appreciable amount. The drug is 

 an unreliable hypnotic, but 15-grain doses may be 



