22 MEDICINAL PLANTS 



ties ; one has fruit often an inch in diameter, and somewhat oval ; the 

 fruit of the other is the size of a smallcherry. When fully ripe agree- 

 ably flavored, but mostly acerb and astringent. Sold in N. York mar- 

 ket under the name of Beach Plum. Both species laxative and nutri- 

 tious. The pulp might make a useful addition to cathartic decoctions, 

 or be used in preparing laxative confections. {Off. Prep. Pruni Pul- 

 pa, U. S. P.) 



Cerasus* Pumila, Michx., (Sand Cherry). Stem, trailing ; two 

 to three feet long; fruit small, dark-red, eatable. Rare. 



C. Pennsylvania, Loisel, (Bird Cherry). Tree twenty to twenty- 

 five feet high ; fruit, size of a large pea, red, austere, scarcely eat- 

 able. 



C. Virginiana, De Cand., (Choke Cherry). A shrub or small tree. 

 Fruit, size of a pea, bitter, astringent, scarcely eatable. Pulp forms a 

 good astringent jelly in dysentery and diarrhoea. 



Cerasus Vulgaris, Mill., (Red or Sour Cherry, Morello Cherry). 

 Extensively employed for pies and pastries. One of the most valuable 

 varieties. Refrigerant, laxative, antiseptic. The juice forms a cool- 

 ing drink in fevers ; is also nutritious. Cullen considers cherries as 

 decidedly sedative, owing to the malic acid present. 



C. Serotina, Be Cand., (Wild Cherry, Black Cherry). A well- 

 known tree, erroneously called C. Virginianm by some writers. Bark 

 only officinal. Taste agreeably bitter and aromatic. Chem. comp. 

 Starch, tannin, resin, gallic acid and fatty matter, lignin, red coloring 

 matter, salts of lime, potash and iron. Volatile oil and hydrocyanic acid 

 are obtained from it by distillation, but they do not exist ready-formed 

 in the bark, but result from the reaction of water upon emulsin and 

 amygdalin, two of its constituents. These two peculiar principles are 

 contained in distinct cells, in the seeds of the Amygdalea, and when 

 the kernels are bruised, and especially when heat is applied, they im- 

 mediately react on each other, and give rise to the formation ofprussic 

 acid and some other products. The wild cherry bark is one of our best 

 tonics, as it combines sedative properties — the power of calming irrita- 

 tion and diminishing nervous excitability ; hence it is well adapted to 

 cases of gastric debility, attended with general or local irritation ; lowers 

 the action of the heart ; useful in latter stages of phthisis, hectic fever, 

 atonic dyspepsia, nervous irritability ; intermittents, and convalescence 

 from inflammatory and other diseases. Cold infusion is the best form 

 of administration — syrup and powder also used. (See Wood <$f Bache, 

 p. 578. Off. Prep. Inf. Prun. Virg.) 



The name of a town in Asia, whence the Cherry originally came. 



