NEW DRUGS. 95 



Huphorbia pilulifera. — A native of Australia, where it 

 attracted much attention some few years since as a cure for 

 asthma and bronchial affections. The plant being poisonous, 

 care has to be exercised in its proper administration ; there- 

 fore too strong a decoction must not be used. It was intro- 

 duced to notice in this country in 1882. 



Eryihroxylon Coca. — Under the name CoCA the leaves 

 of this plant have long been known and used by the Indians 

 of Peru and Bolivia as a valuable nervous stimulant, as well 

 as to prevent hunger, and to enable those who use them to 

 endure long periods of labour without fatigue. These pro- 

 perties began to be noticed in this country in 1874, since 

 which time the leaves have been experimented upon in 

 various ways, till coca has become an important medicine, 

 and both the leaves and preparations from them are now 

 fully-recognised articles of trade, and Cocaine, the active 

 principle of the plant, has become an important medicine. 

 The cultivation of the plant has been extended into several 

 of the British colonies, including Jamaica, Trinidad, Zanzi- 

 bar, Brisbane, etc. 



Fabiana imbricata. — This is one of the latest introduc- 

 tions, having been first brought to notice in America in 

 1885 and in this country in 1886. It is known as Pichb, 

 and is a native of Chili, Peru, and the Argentine Republic, 

 and belongs to the natural order Solanacese. It is recom- 

 mended in lumbago, sciatica, rheumatic neuralgia, irri- 

 tabibty of the bladder, etc. 



Ferula [EvA-yangium) Sumbrd, an herbaceous perennial^ 

 dying after flowering, belonging to the natural order Um- 

 belliferse. The root, which has a strong musky odour, is 

 known as Sumbul or Musk Boot. The early history of 

 Sumbul cannot be traced ; all that is known about it is 

 that it was first introduced into Bussia about 1835 as a 

 substitute for musk, and was then recommended as a 

 remedy for cholera- It began to be known in Germany in 



