cine to promote the renal excretion, and to afford relief to patients afflicted with dropsy in its various forms 
The most distinguished case presented by him, is that of Sir James Craig, the British governor in Canada, 
who was labouring under a general dropsy, which in its progress had assumed the forms of hydrothorax, 
anasarca and ascites, and which was combined with different organic diseases, especially of the liver. After 
having tried with little or temporary success, almost every variety of diuretic and cathartic medicines, and 
submitted twice to the operation of tapping, the patient had recourse to a strong infusion of the Pyrola, in 
the quantity of a pint every twenty-four hours. Although the case was altogether an unpromising one, yet 
the plant gave relief, not only in the first, but in the subsequent instances of its use. It produced an aug- 
mentation of strength, and an invigorated appetite. 
“ Several other cases of dropsy are detailed in Dr. Somerville’s paper, in which the Pyrola was admin- 
istered by himself and by other practitioners with decided advantage. Dr. Satterly and Dr. Marcet are 
among those who have added their observations to the testimonies in its favour. Dr. Somerville found his 
patients to remark, that an agreeable sensation was perceived in the stomach soon after taking the Pyrola, 
and that this was followed in some instances by an extraordinary increase of appetite. He considers it as 
having in this respect a great advantage over other diuretics, none of which are agreeable to the stomach, 
and most of them very offensive to it. He further states, that no circumstance had occurred within his own 
experience or information, to forbid its use in any form, or to limit the dose. 
“Such are the most important facts which to my knowledge have been published respecting the internal 
use of the Pyrola umbellata. I have administered this plant on various occasions, and attended to its mode 
of operation. In a number of dropsical cases, when first given, it made a distinct and evident impression 
on the disease, communicating an increased activity to the absorbents, followed by a great augmentation of 
the excretion from the kidnies. The benefit, however, with me, has been in most instances temporary, 
and it was found better to omit the medicine for a time, and to resume it afresh, than to continue it until 
the system had become insensible to its stimulus. After suspending it for a week or two, the same distinct 
operation took place on returning to its use, as had been manifested on the first trial. It proved in almost 
every instance, a very >acceptable medicine to the patient, and was preferred both' for its sensible qualities 
and its effects on the stomach, to other diuretics and alteratives which had been prescribed. 
“ The Pyrola has been considerably employed as an external application in tumours and ulcers of vari- 
ous descriptions. It first acquired notice in consequence of some newspaper attestations of its efficacy in 
the cure of cancer. Those persons who knowhow seldom genuine cancers occur in comparison with reputed 
ones, will be more ready to allow it the character of curing ulcerous, than really cancerous affections. 
There are undoubtedly many ulcers, and those frequently of a malignant kind, which are benefited by 
antiseptic stimulants; and to such the Pyrola may be useful. But of its efficacy in real cancer we require 
more evidence than is at present possessed, before we ascribe to it the power of controlling so formidable a 
malady. 
“ Dr. Millar, of Franklin, informs us that he has used a decoction and cataplasm of this plant, with 
apparent success in various chronic indurated swellings. It acts as a topical stimulant, and when long 
continued, not unfrequently vesicates. Tumours of long standing have in several instances disappeared 
under its use.” 
Sir Walter Farquhar, it appears from Dr. Somerville’s papers, had also used the Pyrola umbellata in the 
case of a lady labouring under ascites, in which case the diuretic effects were very striking. The same 
gentleman likewise states that “ the extract was prescribed in three hopeless cases of ascites, accompanied 
with unequivocal marks of organic derangement : the patients were stimulated powerfully, but in the 
third the individual complained of sickness at the stomach, and did not persevere in taking the medi- 
cine.” Dr. Barton, author of “the Vegetable Materia Medica of the United States,” also corroborates the 
accounts of the diuretic effects of this vegetable, by four cases which came under his care at the Marines’ 
Hospital, Philadelphia, in which a strong infusion was given with the most decided advantage. It is said to 
be a practice in many parts of America to give a bucketful of the decoction to horses that are unable to 
stale, with the view and uniformly with the effect of relieving them. 
As a tonic, the Pyrola umbellata has been employed in intermittents, scrofula, and other diseases, where 
this class of remedies are indicated. Dr. Mitchell, an American physician, relates some cases of its success 
in these fevers. The Indians use a strong and warm decoction of this plant in rheumatism and fever. They 
employ the whole vegetable, and the decoction is taken in large quantities. Professor Barton says, he has 
been assured on good authority, that it was very extensively employed, and with excellent effect, in many 
cases of typhus fever, which under the appellation of “ camp-fever, ” prevailed among the American troops 
and carried off great numbers of them during the time of the revolutionary war. 
Another species of the genus to which this plant belongs, the Pyrola rotundifolia, is said to be used by 
the Indians as a topical stimulant and vesicant. 
The Dublin College directs the following method of preparing the decoction of Pyrola, as recommended 
by Dr. Somerville: 
Pyrolse umbellatae Sj. 
Aquae, men sura foij. 
Macerate for six hours, then bruise and return the Pyrola to the liquor, and reduce the mixture by 
evaporation, when strained and pressed to ftj. by measure . — Dose 5j. to Sij. three times a day. 
