1849.] Bigelow on the Medical Botany of Ohio. 5 



closes, adapted to the pathological state of the system, will be 

 resuscitated, and found possessing valuable properties upon 

 further, more careful, and exact information upon the subject. 

 It will therefore behoove us to be extremely careful and cir- 

 cumspect, if we attempt to travel the untrodden paths of 

 science — to admit nothing that will not stand the severest test 

 of scrutiny, and at the same time, so vary and multiply our 

 observations and experiments, as to let nothing escape our at- 

 tention, that will prove a real acquisition to the profession 

 we adore. 



Order I. RANUNCULACEjE. (Crow-foot Family.) 



Acridity, causticity and poison are the general characterist- 

 ics of this order. There are exceptions, as in Coptis, which 

 is a very pure bitter; Hydrastis, which is bitter and astringent, 

 and Cimicifuga, a mild anti-spasmodic. 



Sp. 1. Ranunculus abortivus. Linn. 

 Common name — Small flowered Crowfoot — Chicken pep- 

 per. Erect, 1° — 12 high, fl. pale yellow, minute. — April, 

 June. 



Sp. 2. R. Pennsylvanicus. Linn. 

 Com. name — Bristly Crowfoot. Wet places ; coarse plant. 

 2° — 3° high, inconspicuous pale flowers — June, Aug. 



Sp. 3. R. Repens. Linn. 



Com. name — creeping crowfoot ; Butter cups, Stem creep- 

 ing, 4' — 6' long, petals deep yellow, large. — June, Aug. 



These are all very common plants, are powerful vesicatories, 

 and acrid rubefacients. 



Sp. 4. Aquilegia canadensis. Linn. 

 Com. name — wild Columbine; 1° high, flower, showy scarlet. 

 — April, June. The seeds are said to be tonic. 



Sp. 5. THALfCTRUM ANEMONOIDES. Mich. 



Com. name — meadow Rue, Rue leaved anemone. A pretty, 

 small plant, like anemone ; flowers few in a simple umbel — 

 white. — April, May. There are many other species of this or- 

 der, some of which may be found to possess medicinal virtues 

 of a high order. 



Order II. BERBERIDACE.E. (Barberry Family.) 



All the American plants of this order, are spoken of as me 

 dicinal, among which we notice Podophyllum. (May apple.) 



