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NAT. ORDER. L OBELI ACEiE. 
tide of the Materia Medica of this country is allowed to be the Lo- 
belia hiflata, of which a description has already been given. 
Father Plumier dedicated a genus of plants to Mathias de Lobel, 
or de l'Obel, author of a history of plants in 1576. The plant to which 
he originally applied the name of Lobelia, is now the Scccvola of Lin- 
naeus. When this botanist was first convinced by Jacquin that under 
the name of Lobelia a vast number of plants, generically distinct from 
the original plant, were confounded with it, and that these plants were 
better known than the true Lobelia, by that name, he judged it proper 
to correct the error by retaining his name for them, and giving a new 
one to the genus of Plumier. This is the origin of the term Lobelia 
for the genus as it now stands. 
Medical Properties and Uses. This plant possesses properties 
similar to that of the injlata, and in some of the southern states is used 
for the same purpose. The present species, however, possesses eme- 
tic, sudorific, and powerful expectorant qualities, but is chiefly remark- 
able for the first of these operations on the system. When given with 
a view to empty the stomach, it operates speedily and with great power, 
producing, however, great relaxation, debility and perspiration. Like 
other active emetics, it sometimes operates on the bowels ; but its 
cathartic effect is seldom observable unconnected with its emetic 
operation. Prof. Bigelow, speaking of the qualifications of Lobelia, 
says, " I have not, in various trials with the plant, found it in any in- 
stance to affect the alimentary canal, as a primary seat of its opera- 
tion ; yet it is said by some that large doses operate in this way, with- 
out producing emesis. It does not appear to be possessed of any par- 
ticular diuretic property, as was supposed by the late Prof. Barton, 
would be found to be the case." 
The first notice found in print of the medical virtues of Lobelia, 
is simply a brief remark by Shcepf, that the root is astringent, and used 
in apthalmia. He seems to have had little knowledge on the subject, 
and from the manner in which the plant is mentioned by him, it may 
reasonably be suspected that a vague rumor only of its medical pro- 
