190 ERICACEAE. 



Of the three species described above, the first-named is the only one 

 which is medicinally important. The others, though strikingly beautiful, 

 L. cardinalis especially so, are of little interest. 



Parts Used. — The leaves and tops of L. inflata — United States Pharma- 

 copoeia. 



Constituents. — Lobelia has an acrid and irritating taste, somewhat re- 

 sembling that of tobacco, and a slightly irritating odor when bruised or 

 powdered. It contains an odorous volatile principle, a peculiar alkaloid, 

 termed lobeline, lobelic acid, and common vegetable principles. 



Preparations. — Acetum lobelia? — vinegar of lobelia; extractum lobelia? 

 fluidum — fluid extract of lobelia ; tinctura lobelia? — tincture of lobelia. 

 — United States Pharmacopoeia. 



Medical Properties and Uses. — In full doses lobelia produces severe nau- 

 sea, obstinate vomiting, and great prostration. In overdoses the pros- 

 tration becomes extreme, there is failure of voluntary motion, followed by 

 stupor, coma, and not unfrequently convulsions and death. Though for- 

 merly much used for emetic effect by empirics, dangerous effects were so 

 often produced that it is now seldom employed in this manner. . It is 

 chiefly employed in spasmodic affections of the air-passages, as spasmodic 

 laryngitis and spasmodic asthma. In the latter disease it often produces 

 the happiest effects. 



ERICACE/E. 



Character of the Order. — Shrubs, rarely herbs, with opposite, alternate 

 or whorled, commonly evergreen leaves. Flowers regular or nearly so ; 

 calyx 4- to 5-lobed, free or adherent to the ovary ; corolla 4- to 5-lobed, 

 rarely with distinct petals ; stamens as many or twice as many as the lobes 

 of the corolla, free from but inserted with it ; anthers 2-celled, commonly 

 appendaged or opening by terminal chinks or pores ; style 1 ; ovary 3- to 

 10-celled. Fruit various. 



A large order, comprising many plants of medicinal and economic im- 

 portance. Of the medicinal species, some possess valuable diuretic prop- 

 erties, others are more or less poisonous, and their therapeutic applications 

 are not yet definitely known, so that, in the present state of science, it is 

 not possible to formulate, in general terms, the medicinal properties of the 

 order as a whole. 



As represented in North America^ the order comprises four well-marked 

 sub-orders, namely : 



Vaccinie.e — Ericine^— Pyrole^e— Monotrope^e, 

 the second and third alone comprising medicinal species. 



