196 ERICACEAE. 



treatment during that period. The patient, at the time I first saw him, 

 had several chancres, the surface of the body and head was covered with 

 small red pimples, elevated above a jaundiced skin, and he was in a very 

 debilitated condition. I administered a saturated tincture of the leaves, of 

 kalmia, and touched the chancres with a tincture of muriate of iron, and 

 effected a cure in four weeks, removing the jaundice at the same time." 



The bruised leaves, and a decoction have been used topically in some 

 skin diseases with asserted benefit. 



It would seem from the foregoing that there is much uncertainty in what 

 has been written of kalmia, from the time of Kalm to the present day, and 

 that the plant requires further investigation. 



LEDUM. --Labrador Tea. 



Ledum Satifolium Aiton. — Labrador Tea. 



Description. — Calyx 5-toothed, very small. Corolla : petals 5, obovate, 

 spreading, distinct. Stamens 5, occasionally 6 or 7 ; anthers opening by 

 terminal pores. Pod oblong, 5-celled, many-seeded, splitting from below 

 upward. 



A shrub 2 to 5 feet high. Leaves alternate, elliptical or oblong, entire, 

 the margins re volute, rusty-woolly beneath, coriaceous, persistent. Flowers 

 white, small, in terminal umbel like clusters, from large scaly buds, ap- 

 pearing in June. 



Habitat. — In cold bogs and mountain woods from Pennsylvania to Wis- 

 consin and northward. 



Ledum palustre Linne. — 31arsh Tea. 



Description. — Like the preceding, but with uniformly 10 stamens, oval 

 pods, and linear leaves. 



Habitat. — In swamps and wet places in British North America, and also 

 in northern Europe and Asia. 



Parts Used. — The leaves of both species— not official. 



Constituents. — The leaves of marsh tea have a balsamic odor, and an 

 aromatic, camphoraceous, bitter taste ; they contain a peculiar tannin, 

 termed leditannic acid, and a pungent aromatic volatile oil, besides com- 

 mon constituents of plants. The constituents of Labrador tea are sup- 

 posed to be similar. 



Preparations. — Commonly used in decoction. 



Medical Properties and Uses. — Marsh tea is said to be acro-narcotic, 

 producing, in large doses, headache, restlessness, dilatation of the pupil, 

 and a sort of intoxication, accompanied with increased secretion of urine, 

 saliva, and perspiration. Its sphere of therapeutic application is not 

 definitely settled, though it has been used in spasmodic croup, whooping- 

 cough, gout, rheumatism, and various skin diseases. A strong decoction 

 is used externally to destroy cutaneous parasites in domestic animals, and 

 the fresh leaves are placed in woollen cloths to protect them against moths. 



