NAT. ORDER. IRIDE^ 
rolla ; the style is sliort and slender ; the stigma divides into three 
petalous expansions, of a yellow color ; these are oblong, bent 
down and outwards, and irregularly serrated at the extremity ; 
the capsule is triangular, and divided into three cells, which contain 
numerous flat seeds of a yellow color. 
This plant is common in marshes, and on the banks of rivers ; 
and is rendered quite conspicuous by its large and beautiful 
flowers, which appear in the beginning of July. It is said to be a 
native of the eastern parts of E arope ; but is found in most parts 
of the United States. It formerly had a place in the London 
Pharmacoptfiia, under the name of Gladeolus luteus. 
Medical Properties and Uses. The root, which is the part 
usually employed in medicine, is without smell, but has an acrid, 
stiptic taste ; and its juice, on being snuffed up the nostrils, pro- 
duces a burning heat in the nose and mouth, accompanied with a 
copius discharge from those organs: hence, it is recommended 
both as an errhine and sialagogue. This root is such a powerful 
astringent, that it has been used instead of galls, in the making of 
ink, and also for the purpose of dying black ; and from this quality 
it has been successfully employed as a medicine, for the cure of 
diarrhoeas. When given with this intention, however, the root is 
to be well dried ; for the fresh root and the juice are strongly ca- 
thartic ; so much so, that eighty drops of the latter produced re- 
peated evacuations, after jalap, gamboge, aloes, &c., had failed ; 
and by continuing its use in an increased dose, it cured a most 
obstinate case of dropsy. Dr. Rutherford mentions a case wherei 
he had used the most powerful cathartics, such as jalap, gamboge, 
calomel, &c., all proving ineffectual ; after which he ordered eighty 
drops of the Succus radicis, Iridis palustris, to be given every hour 
or two, in a little sirup of buckthorn, which had very immediate 
effects, making him pass several pints of water by stool, that very 
night. The expressed juice is likewise said to be a useful appli- 
cation to serpiginous eruptions, and scrofulous tumors. 
