398 VEGETABLE DRUGS 



ring in crystalline rectangular plates. There is also a volatile oil, but no tannin. 

 X)o«e.— Quassiin, D., gr.^-Va, (.008-.02). 



PKEPABATIONS. 



Extractum Quassia. Extract of Quassia. (U. S. & B. P.) 

 Made by percolation with water, boiling and evaporation to pilular con- 

 sistence. 



Dose.—Yi.., 3i-ii, (4-8); D., gr.ss-iii, (.03-.18). 



Tinctura Quassiw. Tincture of Quassia. (U. S. & B. P.) 

 Made by maceration and percolation of quassia, 200, with alcohol and water 

 to make 1000. (U. S. P.) 



Dose. — Twice that of fluidextract. 



Liquor Qu/issi(B C'oncentratus. (B. P.) 

 Dose. — Same as for fluidextract. 



Administration. — Quassia may be given to horses in the official 

 preparations, — preferably the fluidextract, — or in infusion (1 to 80, in 

 cold water for half an hour, B. P.). The dose of the infusion is §iv for 

 horses, oii-iv for dogs. 



Actions. — Quassia is the most active and bitter stomachic we possess. 

 Large doses irritate the digestive tract. The drug is poisonous to the 

 lower forms of animal life. One grain will kill a frog with the produc- 

 tion of convulsions and respiratory and heart failure. A sweetened in- 

 fusion is often employed to destroy flies. Considerable doses of quassia 

 increase the secretion of urine, and stimulate peristaltic action and con- 

 traction of the urinary bladder. It is an antiseptic and prevents fermen- 

 tation in the digestive canal. Quassia acts generally in the same manner 

 as gentian, by sharpening the appetite, and increasing salivary and 

 gastric secretions, together with vascularity and peristalsis of the 

 stomach. The volatile oil assists the stomachic action. 



Uses. — Quassia, like gentian, is very serviceable in promoting 

 appetite and digestion in atonic dyspepsia. It has this advantage, how- 

 ever, that it may be combined with liquid preparations of iron without 

 incompatibility. Quassia is the most efficient vermicide in our possession 

 for the destruction of Oxyuris curvula, horse; and O. vermicularis, dog, 

 in the lower bowel. An infusion is employed for this purpose, made by 

 soaking quassia chips in cold water (3ii to Oi) for half an hour. The 

 rectum should be first thoroughly washed out with soap and water, and 

 one-half pint of this infusion is given in enema to dogs ; two quarts to 

 horses. 



Calumba. Calumba. (U. S. P.) 



Synonym. — Calumbae radix, B. P.; columbo, E.; Colombo, Fr. ; kolombowur- 

 zel, G. 



The dried root of Jateorhiza palmata (Lamarck) Miers (Fara. Menisper- 

 maceae). 



Habitat. — Mozambique, East Africa. Cultivated in the East Indies. 



Description. — In circular or oval disks attaining a diameter of 9 cm. and sel- 

 dom exceeding 2 mm. in thickness, or in longitudinal or oblique slices attaining 

 a length of 30 cm., a breadth of 35 mm., and a thickness of 16 mm.; externally 

 brown and roughly wrinkled. Powder is greenish-brown to gvayish-yellow. Odor 

 slight; taste slightly aromatic, very bitter. 



Constituents. — 1, calumbin (CjiHjjO,), a neutral bitter, crystalline substance; 

 2, an alkaloid, berberine (CzjHiyNO,), found in berberis, hydrastis, etc.; 3, calum- 

 bic acid (CaiH^Oj) ; 4, starch, 33 per cent. 



Dose.~U. & C, 3ss-i, (30-60); Sh. & Sw., 3i-ii, (4-8); D., gr.v-xxx, (.8-2). 



Digitized by Microsoft® 



