192 MEDICAL BOTANY. 



known to the natives both as a perfume and a sudorific medicine. The Hot- 

 tentots, from whom the Dutch derived their knowledge of the plant, also 

 distil the leaves with wine, making what they term Buchu brandy; this they 

 consider as a sovereign remedy in all complaints of the stomach, bowels, and 

 bladder. Burchell and other travellers state that they likewise apply a de-' 

 coction of the leaves to wounds. It was not, however, until 1821 that it 

 attracted the attention of the medical profession, when Dr. Reece published 

 some papers on the subject, which induced a trial of its powers by other 

 practitioners, who having given a favourable account of it, it became gene- 

 rally used and was recognised as officinal. 



Medical Properties, fyc. — The Buchu is an aromatic stimulant and tonic. 

 When administered in moderate doses, it excites the appetite and acts as a 

 carminative and anti-emetic, and promotes the secretory functions of the 

 bladder and skin, especially the first, as it appears to have a direct influence 

 on the urinary organs. It was in diseases of this apparatus that it was first 

 used by the profession, and is still mainly employed, though there is evidence 

 of its good effects in chronic rheumatism, and in irritative affections of the 

 rectum. The cases in which the most decided benefit have arisen from its 

 employment, are chronic inflammations of the bladder and urethra, attended 

 with an excessive secretion of mucus ; in such a state of things which are 

 often the result of a mismanaged gonorrhoea, or of retention of urine, diseased 

 prostate gland, &c, the buchu has proved highly beneficial, by diminishing 

 the secretion, and relieving the irritability of the bladder, though in some in- 

 stances, the very reverse has been the case, the complaint having been rather 

 exasperated than mitigated. 



The .buchu has been analyzed by several chemists, and shown to contain 

 a volatile oil, resin, bitter extractive and the ordinary constituents of leaves. 

 The volatile oil is lighter than water, and possesses the peculiar odour of the 

 plant. The extractive, which Brandes considers as a peculiar principle, and 

 has termed Diosmin, is soluble in water, but not in alcohol or ether. The 

 Buchu is given in powder in doses of a scruple to half a drachm, but the in- 

 fusion or tincture are generally preferred ; the dose of the first of these pre- 

 parations is from two to four tablespoonfuls ; and of the latter from one to 

 four drachms. 



As found in commerce, Buchu consists of several species of Barosma, 

 besides that noticed above; at this time most of this drug in the shops in this 

 city, is composed of the leaves of the B. serratifolia, which are distinguished 

 by their linear-lanceolate form, and serrulate edges. Those of the B.crenu- 

 lata are also often mixed with these two ; they much resemble those of the B. 

 crcnata, but are oblong-ovate, and have a narrow pellucid margin around the 

 whole leaf. As all the species are possessed of the same properties, they 

 can be used indifferently without inconvenience. 



Galipea. — Aublet. 



Calyx short, 5-toothed. Petals 5, united at base into a short tube, bell-shaped. Sta- 

 mens 4 — 7 hypogynous, unequal; 2 — 5 shorter, sterile. Style 1, bearing a 4 — 5 grooved 

 stigma. Carpels 5, sometimes by abortion fewer, seeds solitary by abortion. 



This genus, which is peculiar to South America, was established by Aublet 

 on specimens found in Guyana, without his indicating it as the source of the 

 Angustura bark, as that article was supposed to be derived from Africa. 

 Hence, when Humboldt and Bonpland visited Angustura, and found that the 

 bark was there termed Cuspare by the natives, and that the tree producing it 

 appeared to belong to an undescribed genus, they established one for its re- 



