104  Notes  on  Some  North  American  Drugs.  {  AVa°rUi', 
Pharm 
1874. 
bite,  and,  in  fact,  the  country  people  use  no  other  antidote  in  cases 
of  snake  bite."  Unfortunately,  the  letter  gives  no  information  what- 
ever in  regard  to  the  part  employed  for  the  purposes  stated,  or  to  the 
manner  in  which  it  is  used.  The  plants  sent  contain  neither  stem 
nor  flowers,  but  from  the  black  color  of  the  dried  plants  and  the  char- 
acter of  the  leaves,  were  at  once  referred  to  the  genus  Gerardia,  and 
by  comparison  with  herbarium  specimens  were  recognized  as  Gerar- 
dia (Dasystoma,  Benth.)  quercifolia,  Pursh.  It  belongs  to  the  sub- 
genus Dasystomn,  which  comprises  perennial  plants  with  rather  large 
yellow  flowers,  with  the  leaves,  particularly  the  lower  ones,  more  or 
less  pinnatifid  or  cut  toothed,  and  opposite  on  the  stem,  the  floral 
leaves  being  often  alternate  ;  it  is  very  difficult  to  preserve  the  green 
color  of  the  plants,  all  the  species  readily  turning  black  on  drying. 
The  genus  belongs  to  the  order  of  Scrophulariaceoe. 
The  species  in  question  resembles  and  is  closely  allied  to  Gfer, 
flava,  Lin.,  and  integrifolia,  Gray,  and  is  distinguished  from  both  by 
the  plant  being  smooth  and  glaucous,  the  lower  leaves  being  usually 
twice  pinnatifid,  and  by  the  peduncles  attaining  about  the  length  of 
the  calyx,  they  being  shorter  in  the  other  two  species  named. 
Most  probably  the  subterraneous  portion  is  the  part  employed,  and 
it  is  not  unlikely  that,  like  several  other  so-called  snake  roots,  the 
black  color  which  it  assumes  on  drying  may  have  first  attracted  atten- 
tion to  it  for  the  purpose  named.  It  consists  of  a  short  and  rather  thin 
upright  rhizome,  sending  off  from  eight  to  twelve  rootlets,  which  are 
about  six  inches  or  more  in  length,  nearly  simple,  when  dry  slightly 
furrowed  longitudinally  and  readily  breaking  transversely.  The  frac- 
ture is  even,  somewhat  granular,  exhibits  a  thick  cortical  portion  of  a 
dark  gray  color,  surrounding  a  thin  ligneous  centre,  of  a  yellowish 
color  and  a  rather  irregular  shape.  As  far  as  can  be  judged  from  the 
taste,  the  root  probably  contains  a  principle  analogous  to  saponin. 
Verbena  bracteosa,  Mich. — Branches  of  this  plant  were  received 
last  August  from  Mr.  Buntin,  of  Terre  Haute,  Ind.,  who  states  that 
it  is  used  there  by  physicians  in  the  form  of  infusion,  with  marked 
success,  in  the  treatment  of  scrofulous  affections,  particularly  in  scro- 
fulous sore  eyes,  and  that  its  alterative  properties  are  claimed  by  some, 
to  be  more  potent  than  those  of  iodide  of  potassium.  The  plant  is 
abundant  in  the  neighborhood  of  Terre  Haute,  and  the  specimen  re- 
ceived agrees  in  every  respect  with  the  specimens  in  the  College  her- 
barium coming  from  Kentucky. 
