ARNICA MONTANA. MOUNTAIN ARNICA, OR LEOPARD’S-BANB. 
Class XIX. SYNGENESIA.— Order II. POLYG. SUPERFLUA. 
Natural Order, COMPOSITE DISCO IDE^E. 
Fig. (a) represents a floret. 
Muriate of potass. 
Phosphate of ditto. 
Trace of sulphur. 
Carbonate of lime. 
A trace of silex. 
This is a hardy perennial, a native of the northern parts of the continent of Europe and Siberia, delighting 
m most shady situations, and flowering in June and July. It is also found on the Pyrenees, and was cul- 
tivated by Philip Miller in 1759. J 
The root is blackish, woody, abrupt at the lower end, and furnished with many long slender fibres. 
The stem, which rises about a foot in height in our gardens, but not more than six , inches in alpine situa- 
tions, is simple, obscurely angular, striated, rough, hairy, and terminated by two or three upright peduncles, 
each bearing one flower, of a deep yellow colour, tinged with brown. The radical leaves are ovate, entire, 
ciliated, and obtuse ; the cauline ones stand in opposite pairs, and are lance-shaped. The involucrum is 
cylindrical, and composed of fifteen or sixteen rough hairy lanceolate scales, of a dingy green colour, and 
purple at the points. The florets of the disc are very numerous, tubular, with a five-lobed margin : those 
of the radius about fourteen, ligulate, striated, three-toothed, and hairy at the base. The fruit°is oblong, 
blackish, hairy, and crowned with a straw-coloured down. 
Qualities and Chemical Properties.— The leaves of the dried plant have a pleasant aromatic 
odour, and excite sneezing, while their taste is somewhat aromatic, bitter, and pungent. The root is bitter 
acrid; the flowers have a fetid smell and a penetrating bitter taste; and according to an analysis by 
M M. Chevalier and Lassaigne, the following constituents were obtained. 
A resin, having the odour of the flowers. 
A bitter nauseous matter, resembling cytisine. 
Gallic acid. 
Yellow colouring matter. 
Albumen. 
Gum. 
Medical Properties and Uses. In over doses the Arnica montana exerts peculiar effects 
on the animal economy. It induces great anxiety, particularly in the region of the stomach, followed by 
pinching pains nausea, a flow of saliva, and sometimes sickness. If it reach to the intestines, it induces 
colic pains, lhese effects generally pass off soon, without leaving any derangement of the system, provided 
the dose be not too large. If it be, the brain and spinal marrow are peculiarly affected, twitchings and 
involuntary motions of the extremities generally preceding the other effects on the nervous system. 
Dr. Collin of Vienna endeavoured in the year 1773 to recall this plant from disuse by the publication 
ot numerous cases of putrid fever, intermittents, palsies, tremors, and amaurosis, from which it would appear 
to be a very powerful and successful remedy. 1 r 
Dr. Crichton states, that in the worst stages of typhus, treated by Stoll in the hospital of Vienna, it 
succeeded wonderfully well when the pulse was exceedingly weak, small, and quick, and when petechi® 
had appeared; and even when the patients seemed exhausted by a colliquative diarrhma, this remedy gene- 
rally produced the happiest effects, 3 6 
,, J? r - C ° 1Ul ! S 7 S that h ® h “ cured thirty-six quotidian, forty-six tertian, and fifty-eight quartan agues 
with the extract of arnica, a drachm of which was given in the course of the day. Its success in these cases 
is confirmed by the testimony of Professor Sebold of Prague. 
In Jutland it is a popular remedy for ague, and Dr. Manger states that he has experienced the best 
effects from an infusion of about half an ounce of the flowers, drank two hours before the access of the 
paroxysm. It has also been given in tremors, palsy, and amaurosis, with different degrees of success ; and 
as it evidently possesses some power over the nervous system, it is deserving of the attention of British 
practitioners, although it may not be quite so potent a medicament, as by some persons it has been esteemed. 
lhe whole plant is generally used m infusion or decoction, in the proportion of an ounce of it to a 
hours ahalfofwater > whlch quantity may be given in doses of a cupful in the course of twenty four 
iniur^n rtf* fl ° WerS ’ t r,° r i hree drachms are generally sufficient; although an ounce has been taken without 
“ rS l° f the da ^' The extract made from the whole P lant is preferred by Dr. Crichton, who 
gives a drachm m the same time. 
