336 MEDICAL BOTANY. 



substance and infusion. This writer admits that in these cases the disease 

 did not appear to be dependent on a primary affection of the brain, but on a 

 disordered condition of the digestive organs. Its good effects as a stomachic 

 and carminative are confirmed by other practitioners, and Dr. Coxe says 

 (Amer. JDispen. 326) that in some cases of dyspepsia, accompanied with 

 flatulence and cardialgia, a strong decoction of it has been found very bene- 

 ficial. 



The leaves are used externally as rubefacients, and form a good cataplasm 

 in abscesses, and the seeds are said to be expectorant. Dr. Richardson 

 (Faun. Bor. Am.) says that the Northern Indians use a portion of the hol- 

 low stem of this plant to imitate the voice of the male deer, and thus to 

 attract the females within gun-shot. 



The H. spondylium of Europe has somewhat similar properties to the 

 above; the leaves being used in cataplasms, and the bruised root as a caustic 

 to remove warts, while the seeds are considered to be carminative. Not- 

 withstanding the acridity of the root, it is stated to contain sugar. (Lindley, 

 Fl. Med. 51.) The H. panaces and H. sibiricum have very saccharine 

 roots, which afford on distillation an agreeable alcoholic liquor. The roots 

 of H. luberosa are eaten in Chili (Molina, 108), and in Sicily it is said the 

 root of H. cordatum is used instead of Angelica. It is aromatic, and en- 

 dowed with the qualities for which the officinal article is prized. H. gum- 

 miferum, as has been stated, was considered by Willdenow to furnish gum 

 ammoniacum, from his having raised this plant from seeds picked from a 

 specimen of the gum. 



Section 6. Cumine^e. — Fruit with primary and secondary ribs. Ribs wingless, fruit 

 somewhat laterally contracted. 



CuMiftuM. — Linn. 



Calyx teeth 5, lanceolate, setaceous, unequal, persistent. Petals oblong, emarginate, 

 erect, spreading, with an inliexed lobe. Fruit contracted on the side. Mericarps with 

 wingless ridges, the 5 primary filiform, minutely muricated, the laterals forming a border; 

 the 4 secondary prominent and aculeated. Channels under the secondary ridges with 1 

 vitta in each. Carpophore bipartite. 



A genus of herbaceous plants, principally natives of Asia, having multifid 

 leaves, the lobes of which are setaceous. The flowers are white or pink. 

 They all bear aromatic seeds, which are much used in the East as condi- 

 ments. One species, the C. cyminum, is officinal in the British Pharmaco- 

 poeia, but it is not recognised in that of the United States. Cumin is 

 rarely employed internally as a medicine, but is sometimes substituted as a 

 condiment for caraway, which it resembles, but is less agreeable to the taste. 

 These seeds are, however, much employed in veterinary practice. 



Section 7. Thapsi^e. — Fruit with primary and secondary ribs. Secondary ribs mostly 

 winged ; wings unarmed. 



Thapsia. — Linn, 



Margin of calyx 5-toothed. Petals elliptical, entire, acuminate, with the apex inflected. 

 Fruit compressed from the back. Mericarps with 5 primary filiform ridges of which the 

 3 middle ones are at the back ; the two lateral on the plane of the commissure ; and 4 

 secondary, the dorsal being filiform, the lateral membranous, winged, entire. Channels 

 beneath the secondary ridges with cacli 1 vitta. 



