100 KUICACE.'E. 



troiitinent iliiritif^ tlint period. Tlio pulicnt, ni Ui(> time I (irst snw him, 

 liiul HCiveral clmucroH, tlw Hurfaco of tin* liody iind hciitl was covcnMl with 

 HiiiiiU vvi] piinploH, t'U)Viit(.'(l ubovo n jiuuKhccd wkin, iiiid ho was in a very 

 (h-bilitatcd coikHHoh. I aihiiiiiiHlcrcd a Haturalcd tiiictjiro of tlu- h'avcH of 

 kaliiiia, and toiiclicd Hie chaiid'cs witli a tinctiiic of iimriatc of iron, and 

 ellli'(^t('d a ciiro in four wcckH, rt-niovin;^' tlic jauinUct! at tlic .sanif time." 



The bnuHod U'aves, and a dococtiou have been uwed topically in Homo 

 skin diseases with asserted benefit. 



It would seem from the fore^oiiif,' that there is mueli uneertainty in wliat 

 has been wi-itten of kalmia, from the (ime of Kalm to the present day, luid 

 that the plant requires further investigation. 



IiEI)UM.--LAnuAr)(>u Tka. 



Ledum latifolium Alton. — Labrador Tea. 



iJrscriplion. — Calyx n-tootho I, very r.midl. Corolla : petals 5, obovate, 

 spreadinj>[, distinct. Stamens 5, occasionally or 7 ; anthers ojx'ninj,' by 

 terminal pores. I'od oblony, 5-celled, many-seeded, splitting from beh)W 

 ujjward. 



A shrub 2 to 5 feet high. Leaves alternate, elliptical or oblong, entire, 

 the margins n-volute, rusty-woolly beneath, cori uteous, persist,((nt. Flowei'S 

 white, smill, in terminal umb.'l like clusters, from larg(! scaly buds, a]> 

 poaring in June. 



IfahUat. — In cold bogs and mountain woods from Pennsylvania to AVia- 

 cousin and northward. 



Ledum palustre Linno. — Mm-sh Tea. 



Dt',i<cripU(n}. — Like the preceding, but with uniformly 10 stamens, oval 

 pods, and linear leaves. 



IIaI)itat. — In swamps nnd wet places in British North America, and also 

 in northern Europe and Asia, 



Farl)i Used. — The leaves of both species — not official. 



OonstUueiits. — The leaves of marsh tea have a balsamic odor, and an 

 aromatic, camphoracoous, bitter taste ; they contain a i)eculiar tannin, 

 termed /tv/i7K/i;(tV' acif/, and a pungent aromatic volatile oil, besides com- 

 mon constituents of plants. The constituents of Labrador tea are sup- 

 posed to bo similar. 



.Prcparntionn. — Commonly used in decoction. 



Mcdind ProperficH and Unex. — Mu'sh tea is said to be acro-narcotic, 

 jiroducing, in large doses, headache, restlessness, dilatation of the pu2)il, 

 and a sort of intoxication, accompanied witli increased secretion of urine, 

 saliva, and perspiration. Its sphere of therapeutic application is not 

 definitely settled, though it has been used in spasmodic croup, whooping- 

 cough, gout, rheumatism, and various skin diseases. A strong decoction 

 is used externally to destroy cutaneous parasites in domestic animals, and. 

 the fresh leaves are placed in woollen cloths to protect them against moths. 



