648 
Facts and Observations. 
ON THE USE OE GENTIAN IN COMBINATION WITH ALOES, 
AND THE EROG-SETON IN LAMINITIS. 
By T. Hurford, M.E.C.Y.S., Y.S. 12th Lancers. 
Mr. HurforDj writing from Balaldava, informs us that it 
was the European Gentian and not the Chiraita, he used 
combined with Aloes, as a purge, when in India ; and that 
from it, he invariably derived all that he has stated. Mr. J. 
Thacker, M.R.C.Y.S., and V.S. H.E.I.C. Service, in a note 
received by us from Madras, says that he also has found 
the combination of Gentian with Aloes materially increase 
the action of the last-named drug ; so that we were in error 
in supposing it was the Chiraita. 
Mr. Hurford adds, “ for a long time past I have employed 
frog-setons in laminitis. As soon as the horse is attacked, I 
have him cast, insert setons, give a full dose of physic, and 
have no fear of the result.” 
TORMENTILLA AS AN ASTRINGENT. 
“ The decoction of Tormentilla, a remedy in not very gene- 
ral use, is, we observe, a great favorite with Mr. Hilton, of 
Guy’s Hospital. It is employed in cases of piles, passive 
hemorrhages, diarrhoea, &c., as a tonic and astringent. A 
few w r eeks ago, Mr. Hilton ordered it (in doses of an ounce 
and a half every three hours) to a patient in whom hemor- 
rhage from the bowel had occurred four days after an opera- 
tion for hernia ; and took the opportunity of observing to his 
class that it was one of the most efficient vegetable astringents 
that he knew .” — Medical Times and Gazette. 
[The Tormentilla, common Tormentil or Septfoil, be- 
longs to the genus Potentilla , of which two kinds appear to 
be employed medicinally, and are often confounded, the 
P. reptans and P. tormentilla . 
The plant is indigenous, and common in pastures and on 
heaths. The root is officinal. Its action that of an astrin- 
gent, and considered by some writers, one of the best of this 
