468 
VARIETIES. 
increase."  "  A  few,  but  not  many  patients,  have  been  admitted  in  whom 
the  mental  disease  might  fairly  be  attributed  to  their  connection  with  the 
great  contest."  "On  the  whole,  it  seems  probable  that  the  general  effect 
of  the  national  trial  has  been  healthful  to  the  public  mind,  and  that,  al- 
though some  new  causes  of  mental  disease  have  been  introduced,  yet  the 
per  centage  of  insanity  has  been  slightly  reduced."  Are  the  causes  of  in-' 
sanity  becoming  more  numerous  ?  or  is  insanity  made  more  prominent  and 
public  by  the  modern  system  for  the  care  of  the  insane  ? — are  questions 
which  the  doctor  deems  probable  should  both  be  answered  in  the  affirma- 
tive.— Ibid. 
Saururus  cernuus.  By  D.  L.  Piiares,  A.M.,  M.I).,  of  Newtonia,  Mi. — 
The  whole  plant  is  medicinal,  and  has  a  rather  offensive,  heavy,  slightly 
aromatic  odor  and  taste.  It  is  lenitive,  anti-spasmodic,  sedative,  slightly 
astringent.  It  has  been  much  used  in  some  parts  of  the  country  in  regu- 
lar as  well  as  domestic  practice,  as  a  soothing,  discutient  cataplasm.  It 
has  been  highly  and  specially  recommended  as  a  remedy  to  allay  pain, 
and  prevent  suppuration  in  mammary  inflammation.  In  these  affections  I 
have  never  employed  it;  yet  I  doubt  not  its  value  as  a  cataplasm. 
But  for  ten  or  twelve  years  I  have  employed  it  very  extensively,  and 
with  most  satisfactory  results,  in  the  treatment  of  irritations  and  inflamma- 
tions of  the  kidneys,  bladder,  prostrate  gland,  urethra  and  epididymis.  It 
is  specially  indicated  in  all  cases  attended  with  strangury,  or  ardorurinse  ; 
and  when  freely  exhibited  in  warm  infusion,  very  promptly  removes  the 
unpleasant  symptoms.  It  is  a  valuable  palliative  in  gonorrhoea  and  chor- 
dee  ;  and  a  good  vehicle  for,  and  adjuvant  to  other  remedies  addressed  to 
the  genital  urinary  organs.  It  is  not  offensive  to  the  stomach,  and  conse- 
quently is  rarely  rejected,  even  when  that  organ  is  in  an  irritable  condi- 
tion ;  it  tends  rather  to  allay  the  irritation. 
I  would  venture  the  suggestion  that  this  plant  might  be  advantageously 
employed  in  treating  some  affections  of  the  vagina,  uterus  and  ovaries, 
both  constitutionally,  and  in  the  former  two  locally.  I  think  it  might  be 
used  also  beneficially  in  certain  conditions  of  the  nasal  passages,  fauces, 
trachea,  bronchia,  &c. 
In  some  parts  of  the  country  where  I  have  introduced  its  use,  it  has  become 
so  popular  that  whole  plantations  of  it  have  been  exhausted.  A  strong, 
hot  infusion  of  the  plant,  crushed,  whether  dry  or  recent,  is  made.  Of 
this,  the  patient  may  take  from  one  to  four  ounces  every  quarter  or  half 
hour,  or  only  three  or  four  times  a  day,  according  to  the  urgency  of  the 
symptoms  or  particular  object  had  in  view  in  its  exhibition.  It  may  often 
be  substituted  for  buchu  or  uva  ursi  leaves,  and  in  many  cases  is  much 
superior  to  either. — Atlanta  Med.  and  Surg.  Jour.,  July,  1867. 
Prof.  Pancoast's  Recipe  for  Beef  Tea. — Take  a  pound  of  beef,  carefully 
freed  from  fat,  from  the  loin  or  neck,  and  cut  it  into  small  pieces,  as  large 
