134 LKCI'MINOSiE. 



Midical Prnporli''>^ nnd T'hcx. — Early in this century Dr. Tlmrher hi}?hly 

 rocommondctl un infusion or decoction of thiH plant an an antiHcptic appli- 

 cation to ill-conditioned ulcers, and as a parj^le in nuvli^'uant and Hcarla- 

 tinal sore throat. Other physicians considered its intci-nal use eflicacious 

 in typhus (typhoid ?) and niidignant scarlet fevers. In more recent times 

 it has gaineil a great reptitation among honujL'opathic and eclectic practition- 

 ers, especially in typhoid fever. Some years ago the author expcrimLnted 

 with it in this disease, with what he believed to be satisfact'^i-y results. 

 (See "Trans. Med. Soc. State ot New York," 1880.) Further experinionta 

 have not altogether justified the conclusions then arrived at ; still the drug 

 does in some instances appear to exert a favorable iuHueuce, and is worthy 

 of further investigation. 



CASSIA.— Senna. 



Cassia Marilandica Linnc. — American Snt^ia. 



Jh'scrip/iuii. ~ Cii\\\ : sepals 5, scarcely united at the base, colored, de- 

 ciduous. CoioUa : petals 5, nearly equal, spreading. Stamens 10, rarely 5, 

 distinct, t)io three upper commonly abortive ; anthers oi)euing by two pores 

 at the tci). I'od 2 to 4 inches long, linear, compr(>sscd, slightly ciu'ved, 

 at first hairy, ultimately nearly glabrous, many-celled with iransverse par- 

 titions, niany-socded. 



An herbaceous perennial. Stems erect, branching, 3 to 4 feet high. 

 Leaves alternate, equally pinnate ; leaflets in (5 to 9 jKiirs, ovate-oblong, 

 mucronate, 1 to 2 inches long, one-half inch wide. Flowers bright orange- 

 yellow, in short axillary racemes, on the upper part of the stem ; they are 

 produced during July and August. 



Hahital. — Common in alluvial soil from New England and New York 

 southward and westward. 



Part Used. — The leaflets — formerly official ; dropped from the last 

 edition of the United Sinfes Pharmacopoeia. 



Coiislifi«;)its. — A satisfactory analysis of this jilant is yet to be made. 

 One analyst has found in it, in addition to the ordinary vegetable prin- 

 ciples, a complex substance resembling the so-called calhartln of imijorted 

 senna. 



J\'eparationfi. — None are official. It yields its virtues to water, and is 

 commoidy administered in infusion. 



Medical J'vnperiies and ^ w's. — The action of American senna is similar to 

 that of the African drug, though it is much less efficient, a dose one-thi'd 

 or one-half larger being required to produce the same eflect. On thxs 

 account the imported article is generally preferred. 



Other species of cassia, indigenovis or introduced, are said to possess 

 medicinal activity, but are not sufficiently employed to require further 

 notice here. 



