304 Botanic Drugs 



Some of the species grown in Mexico are said to 

 be active poisons. 



Pilcher, Delzell, and Burman (Jour. Amer. Med. 

 Assn., Aug. 12, 1916) reported animal experiments, 

 using strips of uterine muscle, in the testing of sev- 

 eral drugs used as uterine remedies. They report 

 Senecio aureus as possessing a very weak sedative 

 effect upon the uterus. I am unable to find any 

 other critical studies of the drug. 



Eclectic physicians recommend this drug in a 

 number of rather dissimilar conditions, but dependent 

 upon the proposition that senecio is diuretic, tonic, 

 and emmenagogue. These indications are obvi- 

 ously derived from the Homeopathic "provings" 

 of the drug. The dose of the fl. is from 1 to 40 

 minims. 



In the absence of any definite data upon this 

 rather disagreeable tasting drug, I have never em- 

 ployed it sufficiently to reach any conclusions con- 

 cerning its clinical value. It should be studied 

 anew, as it is evidently active and may be of real 

 value. 



SENEGA 



Poly gala Senega. Universally official. BITTER 

 POLYGALA, P. amara, is official in Denmark. This 

 latter plant grows in the United States and, like 

 the many native species of Polygalaceae, is a bitter 

 tonic. MILKWORTS in general should be given more 

 detailed study than they have received. 



PHARMACOLOGY. The studies of Henderson and 

 Taylor showed that senega causes a good flow of 

 bronchial secretion and acts reflexly, somewhat 

 similarly to ipecac, antimony, and the ammonium 

 compounds, except it must be noted that emetine, 



