Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
June,  1897. 
Yerba  Del  Polio. 
293 
from  Beclard's  Physiology :  "  Pouring  cold  water  on  the  natatory 
membrane  of  a  frog,  the  calibre  of  its  capillary  vessels  diminishes  to 
a  half  or  three-quarters  of  its  normal  size  at  least.  Common  salt 
produces  the  same  effect.  This  contractibility  can  also  be  made 
evident  by  acid  or  diluted  alkaline  solutions." 
Taking  all  these  facts  into  consideration,  we  will  hazard  a  theory 
which,  though  in  no  way  invulnerable,  might  perhaps  help  us  to 
explain  a  physiological  fact.  Applying  on  a  broken  vessel  the  pow- 
der of  the  plant,  in  a  cataplasm,  or  a  concentrated  solution  of  the 
extract,  the  proteid  principle  of  the  herb  mixed  with  the  blood 
whose  alkali  reacts  upon  the  former  and  affords  a  separation  of  am- 
monia ;  this  reacts  upon  the  vessels,  irritating  their  tissue  and  con- 
tracting them,  as  Beclard  observed  ;  for  it  constitutes  a  very  dilute 
alkaline  solution,  and  has  hemostatic  properties  sufficient  to  produce 
a  complete  obliteration  of  the  vessels. 
Mr.  Touraine  affirms  to  have  seen  this  contraction  of  the  vessels 
in  several  physiological  experiments,  and  we  have  made  similar 
observations,  although  not  quite  so  certain  of  the  results. 
When  we  used  the  powder  of  the  plant  or  the  solution  of  the 
extract,  the  potassium  chloride  added  its  own  action  to  that  of  the 
ammonia,  and  substituted  the  sodium  chloride,  whose  action  has 
been  observed  by  Beclard. 
Internally,  Commelina  cures  metrorrhagia,  which  fact  might  be 
explained  by  the  aforesaid  chemical  reactions ;  the  proteid  principle 
enters  the  current  of  the  circulation.  We  will  copy  Hernandez 
according  to  the  text,  for  it  is  both  elegant  and  clear,  and  leaves  no 
doubt  about  the  latter  application  we  have  mentioned.  With 
regard  to  the  Matlaliztic  texcocana,  he  says :  "  Radix  discutit 
tumores  praeter  naturam  a  causa  calida  ortos,  tusa,  atque  applicata, 
aut  devorata,  duarum  drachmarum  mensura,  humore  impetum 
coercet,  sanguinis  redundantiam  reprimit  destumque  refrigerat.'' 
Therapeutic  Uses. — The  most  distinguished  physicians  of  Mexico 
use  the  extract  of  Commelina  as  a  kind  of  a  hemostatic  in  the  treat- 
ment of  metrorrhagia  and  hemoptysis,  administering  it  in  pills  in 
the  latter  case,  and  in  injections  in  the  former.  They  employ  it,  too, 
as  an  active  remedy  against  leucorrhcea,  and  as  a  general  hemostatic 
in  capillary  hemorrhage. 
Posology  — The  extract  is  to  be  given  in  pills  of  1  or  2  grains, 
which  shall  be  taken  to  the  number  of  twenty-four  to  forty-eight  a 
