N. 0. LAB) AT*. 
1039 
of a handful of the leaves is a good remedy for- coughs. Lin- 
meiis records an instance in which salivation, caused by the use of 
mercurial medicines, was removed by the administration of this 
infusion after every other remedy had failed. The plant should 
be gathered when in flower (Sowerby’s English Botany). 
In America, it is generally used in catarrhal states of the 
air passages, over which it seems to have a soothing effect and 
is much employed in confectionery as an ingredient in “cough 
drops ” (Potter’s Materia Medica, p. 277). 
In Mexico, a preparation made from the leaves of this is used 
for rheumatism. It is also added to mescal and applied as lini- 
ment for rheumatism. 
A proximate analysis gave the following result 
Per cent. 
Fat, wax and traces of volatile oil ... 2 05 
Crystalline compound, soluble in ether ... '48 
Chlorophyl and fat ... ... ... . 2-29 
Jtesin and bitter compounds, soluble in absolute alcohol 1-94 
Mucilage .... ... '... ... 494 
Glucose ... •... ... ... 67 
Extractive, soluble in water ... ... 5-93 
Albuminoids ... ... ... ... 4 48 
Pectin and undetermined ... ... ... 5'93 
Pararabin ... ... ... ... 2-30 
Cellulose and lignin ... ... ... 37-48 
Moisture ... ... ... ... 672 
Ash ... ... ... ... 24-30 
Loss ... ... ... ... -49 
The fat was soluble in hot 95 per cent, alcohol, and melted at 46° C. The 
wax was insoluble in this solvent, but dissolved in carbon bisulphide. The 
crystalline principle was extracted from the drug with stronger ether, and 
purified by repeated crystallization from hot 95 per cent, alcohol, with one or 
more treatments with animal-charcoal. The crystals were insoluble in water 
and in solution of potassium hydrate, very sparingly soluble in boiling water 
and in cold alcohol. Soluble in hot 95 per cent, alcohol, also in ether and 
chloroform. They melted at 152° to 153” C. They were at first tasteless, but 
developed, when held on the tongue, a decided bitterness. The alcoholic 
solution was very bitter. 
Sulphuric or nitric acid gave a dark-brown colour, hydrochloric acid 
produced no change and ferric chloride produced no ohange. 
This principle reduced Fehling’s solution slightly by boiling, without first 
being treated with an acid. 
