204 



MEDICAL BOTANY. 



G. officinale. 

 1. Corolla and stamens. 2. Seeds. 



G. officinale, Linn. — Leaves bijugate. Leaflets elliptical, obtuse. Peduncles germi- 

 nate. 



Linn. Sp. PI. 546 ; Woodville, i. 43 ; Stokes, ii. 486 ; Stephenson and 

 Churchill, ii. 90 ; Lindley, Flor. Med. 214; Carson, Must. t. 17. 



Common Names. — Lignum vitse ; Guaiacum. 



Foreign Names. — Gayac, Br. ; Guaiaco, It. ; Guayaco, Sp. ; Franzosen- 

 holz, Gr. 



Description. — A tree 

 Fig. 106. of thirty or forty feet in 



height. Stem generally 

 crooked, with numerous 

 divaricated, knotty 



branches. The bark is 

 smooth, but furrowed; 

 of a green colour, varie- 

 gated with white ; that 

 of the branches ash-co- 

 loured, fissured. The 

 wood is hard and pon- 

 derous, with a dark 

 olive-brown centre, but 

 whitish towards the 

 bark, and has a peculiar 

 smell. The leaves are 

 opposite, abruptly pin- 

 nate, consisting of two 

 or three pairs of ellip- 

 3. Fruit. tical, entire, smooth, 



rigid folioles, which are 

 nearly sessile. The flowers are pale blue, on simple, axillary, clustered footstalks, shorter 

 than the leaves. The calyx consists of five ovate, obtuse, concave, deciduous sepals ; the 

 two outer ones being smaller than the others. The petals are five, roundish, obovate, with 

 short linear claws, inserted into the receptacle. The stamens are ten, awl-shaped, erect, 

 shorter than the petals, with oblong cloven anthers. The ovary is compressed, with a 

 short awl-shaped style. The capsule is obovate, coriaceous, of a yellow colour, with from 

 two to five rounded angles, and as many cells, opening at these angles ; two or three of 

 these cells are often abortive. The seeds are solitary, pendulous, convex on one side, 

 angular on the other, with a cartilaginous albumen and a straight, green embryo. 



This tree is a native of South America and several of the West India 

 islands. It first became known to the Spaniards in Hispaniola, soon after 

 the discovery of the island, where its wood had long been used by the na- 

 tives as a remedial agent of great value. About the beginning of the 

 sixteenth century, Guaiacum was introduced into Spain as a remedy in 

 syphilis, which then prevailed throughout Europe to a terrible degree. Its 

 fame was diffused so rapidly that, according to the testimony of the writers 

 of the day, thousands of diseased persons had derived benefit from it within 

 a few years after the first promulgation of its virtues. Such was the esteem 

 in which it was held, that it is mentioned by Freind [Hist, of Physic) that it 

 sold at seven golden crowns a pound. 



The general mode of employing it was in decoction ; this was administered 

 in every form of the disease, and in all its stages, aided by purgatives, con- 

 finement to the house, and steam baths, with a most rigid diet. This process 

 was continued for six weeks or even longer. So successful was this plan, 

 that the use of mercury was given up, and the Guaiac looked upon as a true 

 specific, which had the power of destroying the venereal virus and expelling 

 it from the system. Among those on whom it acted in a highly beneficial 

 manner, and whose cure by it tended in a great measure to exalt its reputa- 



