Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
Dec,  1884. 
Brazilian  Drugs. 
625 
bitter  root-bark  is  used  as  a  tonie  in  intermittent  fever.  The  fruit  is 
roasted  in  ashes  and  eaten  by  the  Indians. 
Baunilha  do  Rio  (Vanilla  palmarum,  Lindl.  Orchidacece). — The 
pods  are  collected  in  the  province  of  Rio  de  Janeiro,  in  abundance  on 
the  banks  of  the  river  Parahyba,  and  would  by  proper  treatment  afford 
a  good  article  of  export.    They  contain  1*03  per  cent,  of  vanillin. 
Casca  de  Angrio  Vermelho  (Piptcedenia  gida,  Benth.  Mimosece). — 
Much  used  as  an  alterative  and  blood  purifier,  being  given  in  decoction 
made  in  the  proportion  of  60  grams  to  500  grams  of  water,  and 
strained.  Externally  it  is  used  in  the  form  of  decoction  or  fluid 
extract  as  an  application  for  oedema  of  the  feet  and  chronic  ulcers. 
The  wood  of  the  tree  is  valued  as  timber  and  the  sawdust  is  used  for 
preparing  a  fluid  extract  of  syrupy  consistence  which  is  used  as  a 
vulnerary.  It  was  used  by  Dr.  Peckolt  in  a  hospital  at  Rio  de  Janeiro 
for  wounds,  and  in  three  days  the  pus  had  nearly  disappeared,  and  in 
twenty  days  the  wounds  were  perfectly  healed.  The  sawdust  was 
found  to  contain  5*128  per  cent,  of  a  soft  resin  soluble  in  ether,  and 
20*512  per  cent,  of  tannin.  A  tincture  of  the  leaves  is  also  used  for 
bruises  and  cuts. 
Casca  de  barbatimao  (Stryphnodendron  polyphyllum,  Mart.  Mimosece). 
— The  bark  is  frequently  exported  to  Europe  as  Cortex  adstringens. 
According  to  Dr.  Peixoto  the  decoction  of  the  fresh  bark,  or  the  pow- 
der in  the  form  of  a  poultice,  is  useful  for  unhealthy  sores,  and  as  an 
injection  for  leucorrhoea  or  passive  haemorrhage.  It  is  used  in  the 
form  of  snuff  for  epistaxis,  and  the  extract  in  the  form  of  plaster  for 
rupture.  In  cases  of  posi-partum  haemorrhage  a  decoction  is  made 
of  20  grams  of  the  bark  to  240  of  water,  the  decoction  strained,  and 
4  grams  of  acetic  ether  added;  of  this  mixture  a  tablespoonful  is 
given  every  hour.  Dr.  T.  Peckolt  found  in  the  fresh  bark  0*792,  and 
in  the  fresh  leaves  0*528  per  cent,  of  a  tannin  which  gives  a  green 
precipitate  with  salts  of  iron. 
Casca  de  Cedro  Vermelho,  Cedrela  vellosiana,  Roem. — According  to 
some  writers  on  Brazilian  drugs  the  bark  possesses  emetic  properties, 
a  statement  that  has  also  been  copied  in  some  French  works.  Accord- 
ing to  Dr.  T.  Peckolt's  investigations  in  the  hospital  of  Rio  Janeiro 
the  statement  is  not  supported  by  facts.  He  gave  the  decoction  in  the 
dose  of  40  grams  of  the  bark  to  240  grams  of  water  without  the  least 
symptom  of  nausea  being  produced,  and  in  one  patient  suffering  from 
dysentery,  in  whose  case  an  emetic  was  indicated,  the  decoction  cured 
40 
