482 
INDIGENOUS  MEDICAL  PLANTS  OP  CALIFORNIA. 
cans  from  the  native  Californians  or  hunters.  One  of  them  is 
the  Spanish  «  Amole"  or  soap  plant. 
This  plant  was  noticed  by  "Fremont"  and  other  writers  on 
California  for  its  saponaceous  properties,  but  it  has  only  been 
since  the  occupancy  of  the  State  by  the  American  people,  conse- 
quent upon  the  gold  excitement,  that  a  knowledge  of  its  medical 
properties  has  been  known. 
Presuming  it  has  been  botanically  described,  (not  having  the 
authorities  to  certify  the  fact)  I  will  merely  give  its  chief  charac- 
teristics only  for  the  purpose  of  identification. 
The  «  Amole  "  is  a  bulbous  plant;  leaves  lanceolate,  accumi- 
nate,  radical,  entire,  glabrous  from  8  to  12  inches  in  length ; 
scape  from  3  to  6  feet  high;  flowers  white,  in  terminal  racemes, 
panicles  small ;  perianth  tubular,  6  parted,  10  lines  in  length ; 
ovary  3  celled  ;  bulb  perennial,  3  inches  in  diameter,  4|  inches 
long ;  scaly ;  external  scales  dark  brown  and  fibrous,  internal 
layers  white  and  tender. 
Habitat. — Neighborhood  of  lagoons,  Sacramento  Valley. 
The  bulb  is  the  portion  used  for  medical  purposes.  This,  when 
broken  apart  and  agitated  with  water,  forms  a  soft  and  creamy 
mucilage,  from  which  it  has  derived  its  name  of  "Amole." 
The  mucilage  resembles  the  « Mucilago  acacia"  Boiling 
thickens  it,  and  a  solution  of  the  subacetate  of  lead  affords  no 
precipitation. 
It  has  a  sweet  taste,  and  leaves  no  unpleasant  sensation  in  the 
mouth.  Two  drams  operate  as  a  laxative  in  from  four  to  six 
hours. 
Its  principal  use  in  California  is  as  an  external  emollient  ap- 
plication. Many  Americans  while  travelling  through  the  States 
have  been  poisoned  by  the  "  Rhus  toxicodendron"  which  grows 
there  in  great  abundance.  The  poison  from  this  article  in  Cali- 
fornia is  generally  of  the  most  violent  type,  and  the  usual  course 
of  treatment  has  often  failed  to  afford  relief.  Some  persons  when 
suffering  from  the  malady  were  advised  by  the  natives  to  make 
an  application  of  "Amole,"  and  after  doing  so  found  themselves 
relieved ;  until  now  the  remedy  is  well  established,  and  in  common 
use. 
Not  only  is  it  beneficial  in  subduing  the  inflammation  conse- 
quent upon  poisoning,  but  in  all  erysipelatous  affections,  and  many 
