108 
ON  ANACAHUITE  WOOD. 
by  continuing  the  boiling  for  a  quarter  or  half  an  hour.  Such 
a  decoction  has  proved  very  efficacious ;  it  produced  the  com- 
plete resorption  of  the  tubercles  in  the  first  stage  of  consumption, 
and  afforded  great  relief  of  their  distressing  condition  to  those 
farther  advanced.  These  facts  suffice  to  make  it  desirable  that 
this  remedy  might  be  extensively  employed  here  for  the  benefit 
of  the  numerous  patients  of  this  class." 
Such  information,  coming  from  a  medical  man  who  had  wit- 
nessed the  experiments,  is  entitled  to  consideration,  and  in  view 
of  the  importance  of  the  subject,  I  asked  for  further  information, 
and  received  the  following  letter,  which  speaks  for  itself. 
New  York,  Feb,  5th,  1861. 
Dear  Sir: — In  reply  to  your  favor,  I  hasten  to  inform  you 
that  the  anacahuite  wood  certainly  merits  the  attention  which 
it  has  lately  received.  My  experience  chiefly  extends  to  its 
medicinal  effects.  At  present  I  am  unable  to  give  the  name  of 
the  mother-plant ;  to  judge,  however,  from  some  pieces  of  <jenu- 
ine  wood  now  before  me,  I  am  inclined  to  feel  justified  in 
placing  it  in  the  natural  order  of  Papiiionacese. 
It  is  believed  in  Berlin  that  gratifying  results  have  been  ob. 
tained  with  this  remedy  in  the  first  stages  of  phthisis  pulmo- 
nalis.  It  is  given  in  the  form  of  decoction,  namely  ^vi.  to  s'l,  of 
the  wood  to  12  to  14  oz.  of  water,  boiled  down  to  3V.,  and  this 
is  taken  2  to  4  times  daily,  according  to  circumstances,  combined' 
with  other  remedies.  It  is  requisite  to  continue  the  use  of  this 
remedy  for  several  months,  and  to  observe  a  diet  in  accordance 
with  the  nature  of  the  disease. 
Two  weeks  ago,    I   wrote    to  Berlin  for  the    purpose  of 
learning  the  latest  observations  with  this  wood,  and  I  am  ready 
with  pleasure  to  communicate  to  you  the  results  on  their  arrival. 
Yours,  &c. 
Krog,  M.  D.,  387  Tenth  St. 
It  is  proper,  however,  to  state  that  Professor  Bock,  of  Leip. 
zig,  opposes  the  use  of  anacahuite,  insisting  that  in  pulmonary 
consumption  relief  can  only  be  found  in  the  strictest  regimen, 
by  partaking  of  suitable  food,  breathing  a  pure  and  warm  at- 
mosphere, using  moderate  exercise,  and  attending  scrupulously 
to  a  mental,  intellectual,  corporeal,  and  sexual  rest. 
