Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
Feb.,  1885. 
Some  Native  Southern  Remedies. 
89 
SOME  NATIVE  SOUTHERN  REMEDIES. 
By  H.  H.  Rusby,  M.D.,  Detroit,  Michigan. 
The  following  information  is  taken  from  the  author's  paper,  based 
upon  a  report  and  collection  of  plants  sent  him  by  Dr.  E.  W.  Lane, 
Scarboro,  Ga. 
NATURAL  ORDER  SARRACENIACE.E. 
1.  Sarraceilia  variolaris,  Mx.,  Spotted  Trumpetleaf,  Spotted  Pitcher 
Plant,  Spotted  Side-saddle  Flower,  or  Small-pox  Plant,  reported  under 
the  additional  name  of  the  "Hood-topped  Fly-catcher.^'  The  last 
name  possesses  interest  as  being  the  first  reference  in  the  common 
names  to  a  peculiarity  of  this  and  other  species  of  the  genus,  which 
has  lately  been  the  subject  of  special  scientific  investigation,  namely, 
their  carnivorous  habits.  A  narrow  line  of  sugary  secretion  is  deposited 
on  the  outside  of  the  pitclier-shaped  leaves,  running  from  near  the 
ground  up  to  the  edge  of,  and  a  little  way  down  into,  the  cup.  Insects 
ascending  and  feeding  from  this  viscid  line,  become  intoxicated  by  the 
time  they  have  reached  the  interior,  and  fall  into  the  fluid  contained 
within  the  leaf.  This  fluid  contains  a  substance  closely  akin  to  the 
gastric  juice,  by  means  of  which  certain  portions  of  the  insects'  bodies 
are  digested.  This  proteid  matter  is  then  absorbed.  The  only  medical 
virtue  heretofore  attributed  to  this  genus  is  that  of  a  small-pox  specific, 
which,  as  pointed  out  by  Dr.  Lyons,  is  probably  on  the  "  absurd  theory 
of  signatures."  But  Dr.  Lane  describes  it  as  tonic  and  slightly  ano- 
dyne, and  of  use  in  dysenteries.  These  properties  would  seem  to  accord 
well  with  the  physiological  habits  above  given.  A  secreted  substance 
capable  of  intoxicating  insects  would  be  likely  to  give  it  "slightly 
anodyne  properties,"  and  its  digestive  principle  would  be  likely  to 
render  it  tonic.  As  to  its  use  in  dysenteries,  its  abundant  astringency 
would  render  it  serviceable  in  diarrhoeas  which  often  assume  a  dysen- 
teric type,  but  scarcely  in  a  real  dysentery.  The  same  remarks  are 
applicable  to  the  next  and  other  species  of  Sarracenia. 
2.  Sarracenia  flava,  L.,  the  Yellow-flowered  Pitcher-plant,  etc.,  now 
reported  as  the  "Umbrella-topped  Fly-catcher." 
NATURAL  ORDER  CALYCANTHACE^. 
3.  Calycanthus  Icevigahis,  Willd.  Sweet-scented  Shrub.  Reported 
as  "  Southern  Peruvian ;"  the  bark  said  to  have  done  good  service  as  a 
tonic  and  anti-periodic. 
