300 NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



bark are extremely irritant and poisonous ; applied to the eyes they 

 cause violent ophthalmia. It was thought possible to utilise these 

 powerful properties in therapeutics. The h avcs have been applied 

 topically to the skin to modifj^ chronic cutaneous affections, erup- 

 tions, and warts, and an alcoholic tincture has been employed as an 

 eye-salve in cases of ophthalmia. These medicines have been given 

 inwardly for paralysis, gouty affections, and rheumatism.' The two 

 closely allied species contain a gummy resinous juice which quickly 

 solidifies, blackens, and stains the skin brown.- R. 3Ietopium^^ a 

 species from the Antilles, has an astringent bark, recommended for 

 diarrhoeic, hemorrhoidal, scrofulous, and venereal affections. It 

 yields by incision a gum-resin called Doctor-[/mn^ used internally as 

 an evacuant in syphilitic affections, diseases of the bladder and liver, 

 and externally for the treatment of sores. The leaves have been 

 prescribed toi^ically for malignant pustule, and inwardly as astringent. 

 R. cofinns'^ (fig. 310-.313), or European Fustic,^ growing in the south, 

 from the west of Spain to the base of the Caucasus, has been recom- 

 mended as a febrifuge ; its bitter bark has been proposed as a sub- 

 stitute for chincona. The leaves are used to make gargles in cases of 

 buccal and pharyngial ulcerations, but it is especially an industrial 

 plant. The Avood with a brownish and greenish heart is valued 

 in cabinet-work, and the tincture is used to dye stuffs and morocco 

 orange yellow ; it is mixed with cochineal or Prussian blue 

 to obtain chamois or green tones. Its leaves are used also for 

 tanning skins. Many other Sumachs" are em})loyed in different 

 parts of the world. Several C'hinese and Japanese species, 



' Mer. et Del. 3icl. Mat. Med. vi. 78. gerum Bl, which, in Java and Japan, yields 



^ They contain, besides the guni-resin, a wax ; the It. Cliineu.se, whose hemes furnish 



glycoside called curiami/rtiiie. CuUiiisoniu caiM- oil ; the 1{. ehffans AiT. whose leaves are smoked 



dciisis and Verbcua tirtictefolia arc pointed out with tobacco in Mexico, and whose sourish and 



a? their antidotes. sliarp berries are used as .a condiment ; the R. 



^ L. Anian. t. 395. — Sloan. Hist, ii. t. 199, IcEvigntnnL L. and ritiiiuale Vaul, from the Cape, 



fig. 5. — HC Piodr. u. 2. — De.sc. FI. Med. dcs used for wheelwrights' work; R. striatum K. 



Ant. ii 49. — March. Anacard. 144. and 1'av. from Peru, dyeing species (yellow) ; 



* L. Spec. 383, — Jacq. Fl. Austr. t. 238. — the R. nj-i/acniit/ia ScHousij. or Djcdari, from 

 Gren. et GoDR. FL de Fr. i. 340. — Guib. <ip. Morocco, used for dyeing silk stuffs black ; R, 

 ci(. iii. 488. — Cuttiius ciriariaDav. Pimpt. l&Vf. a.'liidmn Schousb. and ptnta]>lnj!lum Desf. of 

 — T. Inst. 610, t. 380. — C. Coygi/ffiia Scor. Fl. northern Africa, whose friuts are edible, and 

 Cum. ed. 2, n. 368. — Mie.niu, Mctli. 73. eaten as condiments; R. siiaveolcns Ait. used in 



' Fustic, Coquesigruc, Arbre d perrnque.i. the United States for dyeing orange yellow ; R. 



• Particularly R. scrratiim and R. iutegri- Thuiibeigii WooK. a species from the Cape, 

 folium (sect. Stijphoniti), species from North yielding cabinet wood, etc. (See Eosenth. op. 

 America, yielding a stimidunt rosin; R. pupi- eit. 849, 1156). 



I' 



