464 



MEDICAL BOTANY. 



The part that is officinal are the roots ; these are large, yellow, rugose, hard, 

 and spindle-shaped ; when in a fresh state, they often weigh several pounds. 

 As found in the shops, they are in slices, somewhat resembling those of the;Co. 

 lombo, having a thick yellow bark and- a yellowish spongy meditullium. 

 The taste is pure bitter, without any- aroma. They may be distinguished 

 from Colombo by their lighter colour, and by affording a dark-green precipi- 

 tate with the salts of iron. A chemical examination has been made of this 

 root by Mr. Douglass, (Am. Jour. Pharm. vi. 177,) and it was found to 

 contain bitter Extractive, Gum, Tannin; Gallic acid, Resin, a Fatty matter, 

 Sugar, &c. 



Medical Properties. — Frasera is an efficacious bitter tonic, inferior to Co- 

 lombo, but fully equal to most of the other articles of its class. It is much 

 employed in the Western States, both in regular and domestic practice, and is 

 spoken of in high terms by several eminent practitioners. It is only in a 

 dried state that it displays its tonic powers, as, when recent, it proves both 

 emetic and purgative, and is often employed as a substitute for rhubarb. 

 The dose in powder is from thirty grains to a drachm, and of the infusion, 

 made with an ounce of the root to a pint of boiling water, about a wineglass- 

 ful, several times a day. 



Menyanthes. — Linn. 



Fig. 209. 



M. trifoliata. 



Calyx 5-parted, tubular below. 

 Corolla deciduous, somewhat fun- 

 nel-shaped, fleshy ; limb 5-parted, 

 segments ciliated. Stamens 5, in- 

 serted on the corolla; filaments 

 distinct, anthers erect. Ovary 

 surrounded by 5 hypogynous 

 glands; style filiform with a bilo- 

 bate stigma. Capsule 1-celled, 

 somewhat 1-valved. Seeds nume- 

 rous, shining. 



A genus of a single species 

 found in almost all temperate 

 and cold climates, and differ- 

 ing very slightly in any of its 

 numerous localities. 



M. trifoliata, Linn. — Leaves 

 ternate, oval, glabrous. 



Linn., Sp. PI. 207 ; Wood- 

 ville, ii. 277; Stephenson and 

 Churchill, ii. 85 ; Bigelow, 

 Am. Med. Pot. iii. 55 ; Ra- 

 finesque, Med. Flor. ii. 33. 



Common Names. — Buck- 

 bean ; Bog-bean ; Marsh-tre- 

 folia ; Water Shamrock. 



Foreign Names. — Trefle 

 d'eau, Ft.; Trifoglio palustre, 

 It.,- Bitterklee, Ger. 



Description. — Root long and 

 creeping and jointed. Stem 

 smooth, erect, and cylindrical, 

 about a foot in height. Leaves 



