tea, may participate in the action. The reverse test, however, i. e. the 
experiment with these oils first in larger, then in smaller doses, has, 
so far as I know, not yet been made by anyone, and we can there- 
fore pronounce absolutely no opinion on their real action. In Russia 
a diaphoretic tea is used which has a much more agreeable taste, and 
which I would prefer under any circumstances to the two above-named 
sorts. This is raspberry tea, prepared by pouring boiling water on 
dried raspberries. With regard to oil of raspberries, of which, in addition 
to sugar and fruit-acids, traces are present in this infusion, I can find 
nothing in the whole literature. 
8. Group of Antihydrotics. 
Even at the present day many practitioners still prescribe, in the 
profuse perspiration of patients suffering from tuberculosis of the lung, 
cold infusion of sage, to be taken shortly before going to sleep. An 
exact experimental test of this treatment is not, however, available. In 
view of the fact that oil of sage contains borneol and thujone, it may 
be assumed that it increases the pressure of the blood, and stimulates 
the tone of the vessels, and the perspiration. Picrotoxin, which un- 
doubtedly excites the centres of the medulla oblongata, is looked upon 
occasionally as an antihydrotic if taken in small doses, and camphoric 
acid is very generally in use for the same purpose. All three remedies, 
however, have not the slightest antihydrotic action in the healthy, — 
rather the reverse. All three are used with advantage only for phthisics, 
and that only for those large defects or infiltrations in the lung, where 
usually during the night an insufficient arterialisation of the blood takes 
place. With such patients, all substances which excite the centres of the 
medulla oblongata, such as camphor, borneol, ammonia, picrotoxin, etc., 
have a favourable effect on the respiration and circulation, and thereby 
indirectly counteract perspiration. Experiments with oil of sage on 
animals have been made not only by Cadeac and Meunier, but 
also by Lalou^). These experiments show that larger doses of oil 
may produce thuj one-intoxication. For use at the sick-bed, however, 
only very small doses come under consideration. 
9. Group of Antiseptics. 
There can be no doubt whatever that many essential oils up to 
a certain point possess antimicrobic properties. If the mucous mem- 
brane of the intestine of a newly-killed animal is scraped, as I have 
^) L. c. page 201. 
