216 
Rhus  Aromatica. 
(  Am.  Jour.  Pharm 
I      May,  1881. 
Hecajjitulation . 
1.  Moisture:  6'95  per  cent. 
Sol.  in  H2O.  16-967  per  cent.  (K  and 
Na  together  with  the  radicals  of 
H2SO4,  HCl  and  H3PO,). 
9   A^h.  l^S^DPrcent  j  Insol.  in  H.O.   Sol.  in  HCl.  74-007 
Z.  Afeli .          per  cenr.      .      .        ,     ^^^^  ^^^^^  ^^^^      ^^^^  ^  ^^^^^ 
with  radical  of  H3PO4). 
Insol.  in  H.^O,  and  HCL   Sol.  in  Na 
OH.  9-025  per  cent.  (Silica). 
„T-.       1     4.     i.    n  r,n  4-         f  Consisting  of  volatile  and  fixed  oilS' 
3.  Benzol  extract :  6-36  per  cent.       |    ^.^^.^^^         ^^^^  ^^^^ 
,      ,    00.0-7   ^«  ^  4-    f  Tannin  glucose,  an  acid  resin,  "  ex- 
4.  Alcoholic  extract :  23-87  per  cent.  ^    tractive  "  and  coloring  matter. 
5.  Cold  water  extract :  4-85  per  cent.  |  Gum  and  coloring  matter. 
6.  Decoction :       .       .       .       .        |  Starch,  etc. 
7.  Potassic  carbonate  extract :    .        |  Oxalates,  etc. 
8.  Distillation  with  water :        .        |  Volatile  oil. 
Medical  Action  and  Uses. — Rhus  aromatica  was  introduced  to  the 
profession  at  large  in  the  spring  of  1878  by  Dr.  J.  F.  McClanahan, 
of  Booiiville,  Mo.,  as  "  a  remedy  highly  useful  in  the  treatment  of 
diabetes,  enuresis,  hematuria,  uterine  hemo7Thages,  meno7Thagia  and 
other  excessive  discharges,  accompanied  by  a  relaxed  condition  of  the 
uterus,  diarrhoea  and  other  atonic  diseases  of  the  bowels."  Drs.  John 
Gray  and  F.  McClanahan  had  used  this  remedy  extensively  in  their 
practice  in  such  cases  as  above  mentioned  with  marked  benefit,  but 
left  it  for  the  son  to  bring  before  the  pu]:)lic.  Since  its  introduction 
many  physicians  have  tested  its  virtues,  and  their  statements  corrobo- 
rate those  of  the  discoverers.  That  it  is  an  efficacious  remedy  in  the 
treatment  of  enuresis  there  can  be  no  doubt,  for  the  author  of  this 
essay  has  seen  it  tried  with  success  in  several  cases.  A  tincture  con- 
taining the  oleoresin,  acid  resin,  gallotannin  and  extractives  of  the 
crude  drug  and  representing  4  troy-ounces  to  a  pint  of  stronger  alco- 
hol may  be  made  by  macerating  the  ground  drug  in  the  menstruum 
for  seven  days,  with  frequent  agitation  and  then  percolating  until  one 
pint  of  tincture  is  obtained.  It  is  obvious  that  preparations  of  Rhus 
aromatica  should  not  be  mixed  with  solutions  containing  salts  of  iron. 
The  dose  of  the  powdered  drug  is  from  20  to  60  grain  (gm.  l'3to 
4'0) ;  the  fluid  extract  5  to  40  drops  (gm.  '3  to  2*5) ;  the  tincture  20 
drops  to  a  teaspoonful  (gm.  1*0  to  4*0)  given  in  water  and  repeated  as 
often  as  necessary.  As  a  topical  remedy  to  control  hemorrhage  a  decoc- 
tion of  the  bark  will  be  found  efficacious. 
In  conclusion,  I  desire  to  state  that  the  process  followed  in  the 
chemical  investigation  was  the  one  reported  by  Mr.  Henry  B.  Parsons 
