8o2 MAIZE 



CHAP, the elongated styles and stigmas collected from the " nearly-ripe 

 XVIL maize fruit ". It is officially described as " thread-like ; about 

 15 cm. long and 0-5 mm. broad, yellowish or greenish, soft, 

 silky, finely hairy, and delicately veined longitudinally ; in- 

 odorous, taste sweetish" (U.S. Pharmacopeia : Wood, Rem- 

 ington, and Sadtler, 1). 



Wood, Remington, and Sadtler (1) describe the composi- 

 tion, medical properties, and uses as follows : — 



" Rademaker and Fischer (1) determined the presence of 

 2 '2 5 per cent of maizenic acid 'in dried corn silk. It was first 

 described, however, by Dr. Vautier. It is freely soluble in 

 water, alcohol, and ether, but insoluble in benzin. Rademaker 

 and Fischer found, in addition to the acid, fixed oil, resin, 

 chlorophyll, sugar, gum, extractive albuminoids, phlobaphene, 

 salt, cellulose, and water. 



" Zea has been highly recommended by various surgeons as 

 a mild stimulant diuretic, useful in acute and chronic cystitis, 

 and in the bladder irritation of uric acid and phosphatic gravel. 

 It has also been employed in gonorrhoea, and has been affirmed 

 by M. Landreux to be a useful diuretic, and even cardiac 

 stimulant in the dropsy of heart disease. It has been commonly 

 used in the form of infusion, two ounces to the pint of boiling 

 water, taken almost ad libitum ; but the fluid extract dose, 

 one to two fluidrachms every two or three hours, is an excel- 

 lent preparation. A solid aqueous extract would probably 

 represent all the activity of the drug, and may be given in 

 doses of five to ten grains three to six times a day. Maizenic 

 acid has been used in doses of one-eighth of a grain (o'OoS 

 gm.)." 



771. Maidis Ustilago. — Maize smut is said to be used 

 sometimes, under the name Maidis Ustilago, in Materia 

 Medica, in the place of Ergot. 



772. Use of Maize Straw for Thatching. — Tucker (1, p. 

 299) speaks of maize straw as used for thatching roofs in parts 

 of south-east Europe. 



