388    Materia  Medica  of  the  Mexican  Pharmacopoeia, 
f  Am.  Jonr.  Pharm. 
I       Aug.,  1885. 
rax  a  little  broader  than  and  about  half  the  length  of  the  narrow, 
smooth  and  glossy  black  wing  cases ;  abdomen  black,  in  the  male  the 
upper  part  red  from  the  second  to  the  last  but  one  segment,  and  near 
the  centre  with  five  black  dots ;  lives  on  pumpkin  and  other  cucurbi- 
tacese. 
Mendoza  and  Herrera  proved  these  insects  to  contain  cantharidin 
and  other  constituents  of  Spanish  flies.  The  indigenous  species  of 
Triodons  and  Meloe  were  found  to  be  more  active  than  those  of  the 
genus  Cantharis.  For  description,  etc.,  see  Gaceta  Medica,"  1866, 
vol.  ii,  and  "La  Naturaleza,"  vol.  i. 
Canafistula,  Cassia  fistuk)ides,  Flor.  Mex.  ined.  The  fruit  is  20  to 
60  cm.  long,  indehiscent,  has  two  longitudinal  bands,  and  its  chambers 
are  filled  with  a  black  saccharine  pulp,  containing  yellowish  flat  rhom- 
boidal  seeds.  100  parts  ot  fruit  yield  445*52  parts  of  pulp.  The 
fruit  of  Cassia  brasiliana  is  also  met  with  in  the  Mexican  commerce. 
Canamo.  The  fruit  of  Cannabis  sativa,  Xm.,  is  used  in  the  form 
of  an  emulsion  in  inflammations. 
Canuela  or  Cola  de  caballo,  Equisetum  arvense,  Lin, ;  used  as  a 
diuretic  and  antiblennorrhagic. 
Caoba,  Swietenia  Mahogoni,  Lin.;  Cedrelacea^.  The  bark  is  antipe- 
riodic  and  astringent;  dose  2  Gm. 
Capitaneja,  Bidens  (Platypteris,  Kunth  ;  Verbesina,  De  C.)  crocata, 
Cavaiiilles ;  Compositte.  In  the  valley  of  Mexica,  southwest  of  the 
capital.  Stem  stout,  four- winged,  villous;  leaves  opposite,  villous,  the 
lower  ones  halbert-shaped,  the  upper  ones  pinnatifid  and  dentate; 
flowers  terminal  and  axillary,  long-ped uncled,  with  the  involucre  glo- 
bose, the  tubular  florets  reddish  yellow,  and  the  akenes  oblong,  com- 
pressed, two-aw^ned  and  membranous  on  the  margin.  Instead  of  this 
plant  Helianthus  alatus,  Flor.  Mex.  ined.,  is  sometimes  collected,  which 
has  alternate  and  dentate  leaves,  a  terminal  inflorescence  and  yellow 
flowers.  The  decoction  is  used  as  a  wash  for  venereal  ulcers,  together 
with  the  powdered  leaves;  also  for  curing  the  sores  of  beasts  of 
burden. 
Capulin,  Cerasus  CapoUin,  De  Cand. ;  grows  in  temperate  regions 
of  Mexico.  The  fruit  is  edible ;  the  distilled  water  of  the  leaves  is  a 
substitute  for  cherry  laurel  water ;  the  bark  is  antidysenteric  and  anti- 
periodic  ;  dose  1  to  2  Gm. 
Caraiia,  Amyris  Caranna,  Humboldt,  Terebinthacese.    In  the  hot 
