354 MEDICAL BOTANY. 



still used in domestic practice in England, though seldom employed by phy- 

 sicians. Its action, both as an emetic and purgative, is sometimes so violent 

 as to produce inflammation of the bowels. The leaves and young buds are 

 also purgative. The flowers, which Linnaeus states are poisonous to peacocks, 

 were formerly administered in the form of infusion, as a diaphoretic in many 

 diseases, but are disused except for the purpose of making elder flower water 

 and elder ointment, the first principally being employed as a perfume, and the 

 latter as a cooling and soothing application to ulcers, burns, &c. The berries 

 furnish a juice which when diluted with water is a cooling and laxative drink 

 in febrile complaints. The principal employment is, however, in the prepara- 

 tion of a wine, which, when well made, is an excellent cordial. The dose of 

 the bark is from ten grains to half a drachm, or half an ounce may be boiled 

 in a pint and a half of water down to a pint, and taken at three equal doses. 



Another European species, the S. ebulus, is still more violent in its opera- 

 tion on the system than the above, and may be ranked as one of the acrid 

 poisons. The juice of the berries is also purgative, and is used for that pur- 

 pose in Switzerland and other parts of Europe. The berries of a uative 

 species, the S. canadensis, are officinal in the U. S. Pharmacopoeia ; they are 

 used for the same purposes as those of the S. nigra, and the other parts of 

 the plant are employed in domestic practice in the same way as those of the 

 foreign article. 



Order 58.— CINCHONACE^.— Lindky. 



Calyx adherent, with a definite number of divisions, or none. Corolla superior, regu- 

 lar, tubular, divisions definite ; aestivation valvate or imbricate. Stamens inserted on 

 the corolla, and alternate with its lobes. Ovary inferior, crowned with a disk, usually 2- 

 celled, sometimes with several. Ovules numerous, attached to a central placenta, or few 

 and erect, or ascending. Style single, sometimes partly divided. Stigma commonly 

 simple, occasionally divided. Fruit inferior, either dividing into two cocci, or indehis- 

 cent and dry or succulent, sometimes with several cells. Seeds definite or numerous. 

 Embryo small, oblong, surrounded by a horny albumen. 



A very extensive order of trees, shrubs, or herbs, with simple, entire, oppo- 

 site, or verticillate leaves, having interpetiolary stipules. Flowers usually in 

 corymbs or panicles. They are principally natives of the warmer climates, 

 but very few being extra-tropical. A great number of them are of much im- 

 portance in medicine, and are very various in their properties, being tonic, 

 astringent, emetic, purgative, and stimulant; some, again, are poisonous. It 

 would be impossible to notice, even in a brief manner, the variety of plants 

 belonging to this order that have been, and are still employed as therapeutic 

 agents, and therefore those only will be described which occupy a prominent rank v 



Section 1. Coffeje. — Ovary with only one or two seeds in each cell. 



Richardsonia. — Kunth. 



Tube of calyx sub-globose; limb 4 — 7-parted. Corolla infundibuliform, 3 — 5-parted, 

 with a valvate aestivation. Stamens as many as lobes of corolla, exserted. Styles 3 — 4- 

 clefl at apex, with sub-capitate stigmas. Capsule crowned by the persistent calyx, 3 — 4- 

 seeded. Seed peltate, with a fleshy, somewhat corneous albumen. 



A genus peculiar to America, consisting of decumbent plants, with sub- 

 ligneous, somewhat simple roots, and opposite, stipulated leaves. The 

 flowers are terminal and quadri-bracteate. The medicinal qualities are those 

 of ipecacuanha. Several species are employed in South America. 



R. scabra, Linn. — Stem prostrate or erect, pilose. Leaves ovate, or oblong-ovate, nar 

 rowed at base, pubescent. Capituli many-flowered. 



Linn., (Richardia,) Sp. PI. 470; St. Hilaire, PI. usuelles, Bras. t. 8; 

 Martius, Spec. Mat. Med. Bras. 10. 



