80 Medical Botany. 



milk. " No cathartic is more highly prized, nor oftener used." — <Salix 

 Russelhawa. The bark of this species, and of S. alba and others, contains 

 tannin, and, it is said, has been found useful as a substitute for cinchona. 

 The S. Hussellidna, or Bedford Willow, is the most profitable for cultivation 

 of any species of the genus, not only on account of its timber, but also for 

 its bark, its rapid growth, and its handsome aspect. The Huntington, 

 Dishley, and some other species, come very near it. — Fitis vinifera. 



JVo. XXXVI, for December, contains 

 141 to 144. — Juniperus communis. " The leaves of the juniper are 

 balsamic and agreeable ; to the taste resinous, and somewhat bitter. The 

 berries have a very agreeable odour, are soft, warm, and bitterish. They 

 contain sugar, mucilage, a small quantity of light essential oil, of a white or 

 yellow colour, possessing the flavour of the juniper, and a strong smell. 

 A writer in the Jour. Pharm., 1827, p. 215., asserts that the berries contain 

 an essential oil before their maturity, turpentine when ripe, and a resin when 

 dry on the tree. Most of those which are used in this country are brought 

 from Holland and Italy; and they should be chosen fresh, not much 

 shrivelled, and free from mouldiness. The Italian are said to be the best, 

 gum sandarach, or vernix, as it is commonly called, is an exudation from 

 the J. communis, growing in warm climates ; though that which is generally 

 met with in commerce is the produce of the Thuja articulata, or Jointed 

 Arbor-vitae. It is commonly used as pounce. Medically, juniper berries 

 are carminative and diuretic ; and given in the form of infusion, combined 

 with other medicines of the same properties, will often be found to act 

 freely on the kidneys. This virtue of the berries depends on then- essential 

 oil ; and as the tops of the plant also contain it, they are sometimes used. 

 The wood is considered to be sudorific, and has been occasionally substi- 

 tuted for guaiacum and sassafras. Linnaeus states in his Flora Eapponica, 

 that a decoction of juniper berries, when fermented, is used in Sweden as 

 common drink ; but the assertion of some writers, that it is substituted for 

 tea and coffee, he contradicts." — Juniperus iS'abina. The leaves and tops 

 " give out a great part of then- active matter to watery liquors, and the 

 whole to rectified spirit ; tinging the former of a brownish, and the latter of 

 a dark green, colour. Distilled with water, they yield a large quantity of 

 essential oil, on which the activity of the plant depends. Savin is a power- 

 ful stimulant, and was once much employed as an emmenagogue. A strong 

 decoction of the powder has often been given in large doses, with a view 

 to procure abortion ; but if it be capable of producing such an effect, which 

 is very doubtful, it is when it acts as a hydragogue purgative." — .Euphorbia 

 ofneinarum. A prickly lactescent shrub, from Africa. The euphorbium 

 of the shops is obtained by making slight incisions in the plant, from which 

 exudes a milk-like juice, that concretes into oblong or roundish tears. This 

 substance excites an extremely violent local action : solid, or as milk, it 

 proves highly acrimonious, inflaming and ulcerating; as powder, it is the 

 most violent errhine that we possess. When a minute portion is mixed 

 with powdered starch, and taken as snuff, it has, like the powder of J'sarum 

 europag'um, been found usefid in various affections of the head. Most of 

 the other species of Euphorbia possess similar properties. The seeds of 

 E. Zathyrus, or Caper Spurge, have lately been proposed as a substitute for 

 the root cacuanha, and the oil expressed from them as a substitute for 

 Croton Tiglium. E. Ipecacuanha is both emetic and carthartic. E. corol- 

 lata possesses double the strength of jalap. E. helioscopia, the Sun 

 Spurge, or Wart-wort, is used in many parts as a stimulating application 

 for destroying warts and other excrescences. Two drachms of the ex- 

 pressed juice of this species killed a kitten in half an hour. — J?ryngium 

 maritimum. " Eryngo root has a sweet agreeable taste and aromatic smell, 

 and it gives out its properties to water. This root was formerly supposed 



