52 
SPIGELIA MARir^ANDICA. 
and divided at the border into five-pointed segments, which are 
yellow on the inside ; the five filaments are about the length of the 
corolla ; the antherae, halbert-shaped and yellow ; germen, ovate, and 
placed above the insertion of the corolla ; st^^le round and longer than 
the filaments, stigma long and fringed ; seed vessel, a double cap- 
sule, two-celled, containing many seeds. 
The generic name Spigelia, was given to this tribe of plants by 
Linnaeus, in honour of the celebrated botanist Spigelius, who pub- 
lished his first work in 1606. In Carolina,where this species of Spi- 
gelia grows naturally, the inhabitants call it Indian pink, which is 
also the popular name given to it in this country. 
Qualities and Properties. The roots of indian pint have 
but little smell and taste, and have been compared to tliat of wood 
rotted by water,* the watery infusion (of the roots and leaves) is of 
a deep red, rather thick and mucilaginous,with a narcotic smell, and 
affords a tloctulent precipitate by the addition of alcohol, it is not 
altered V)y sulphate of iron. 
Medical Properties and Uses. The chief virtues of Spi- 
gelia are its anthelmintic properties, which were first discovered by 
the American Indians above a century ago ; since which time it has 
been very generally used in America, and the West India Islands. 
In this country it was first brought into notice by Dr^ Garden and 
Lining, of Charlestown, Carolina, and it is now in general use as a 
powerful vermifuge, especially in lumbrici. 
The dried root in powder, in drachm doses, will generally purge 
briskly, and sometimes excite vomiting ; but in smaller doses, when 
taken two or more times in the day, and repeated for several days 
together, it will occasionally produce giddiness and dimness of sight, 
followed by convulsions: some allege that it seldom produces any 
good effects unless it excites purging or vomiting ; it is, therefore, 
frequently combined with some suitable aperient ; but we have seen 
large quantities of worms expelled without either of those effects 
being produced.! It is generally recommended to take an emetic 
previous to beginning a course of the Spigelia j but we have never 
found this practice necessary ; in the remitting fever of children, 
depending upon viscidity of the primae vias, the Spigelia has been 
* Graff's Elements of Pharmacj. 
+ We have been in the practice of prescribing an infusion of the whole plant (one 
ounce of the dried plant to one pint of water), in doses of from one to two ounces ' 
every morning, for three or four mornings, followed by a dose of inf. sen. or pulv. 
jalap, which has had invariably the effect of bringing away a considerable quantity of 
wonus. Ed. 
