292 Botanic Drugs 



is commonly known as PUSSY WILLOW, owing to 

 its attractive aments or catkins which appear early 

 in spring. The Eclectic physicians highly esteem 

 a concentrated tincture of the freshly gathered 

 aments and they call it SALIX NIGRA AMENTS, 

 and employ it as an anaphrodisiac and sexual 

 sedative in the treatment of sexual excitement, 

 spermatorrhea, and plethoric conditions of the gen- 

 erative organs. It is also recommended in ovarian 

 irritation and as a substitute for the bromides in 

 sexual hyperesthesias. It is given in 30-minim 

 doses fl. three times a day. 



I can find no analysis of the willow aments and 

 no critical literature upon the subject; but have 

 used the Eclectic preparation in several cases. I 

 have no data sufficient to warrant an expression 

 of opinion regarding its utility, or lack of it, in sexual 

 hyperesthesias. The product interested me in a 

 different direction, that of the study of chlorophyll. 

 Tincture of grass is another good instance of chloro- 

 phyll in solution; but the pussy willow buds seem 

 to me to have an especially available form for study. 

 In this book I have desired somewhere to present 

 chlorophyll as a remedy, and this seems an appro- 

 priate place. 



CHLOROPHYLL. The chloroplasts and chromo- 

 plasts (green and red cells) in plants are protoplasmic, 

 and these protoplasts take from the air certain plant 

 foods, especially carbon dioxide. During daylight 

 green plants require carbon dioxide to be taken in 

 through the stomata of the leaves, and in the cell 

 sap it is reduced by the action of sunlight, and 

 carbohydrates are formed. Fresh supplies of this 

 gas are worked up in the green chlorophyll-bodies 



