8 
Useful  Plants  of  Algeria. 
/Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
(.        Jan.,  1891. 
Colima,  Morelos,  etc.,  furnishes  the  pino?tcillo  or  piTwn  de  Indias,  the 
purging  nut  of  our  commerce.  The  seeds  are  of  about  the  size  and 
shape  of  ricinus  seeds,  are  rounded  upon  the  back,  have  the  raphe 
upon  the  ventral  side,  and  at  one  end  a  circular  scar ;  the  surface  is 
black,  rough,  not  glossy,  irregularly  fissured  ;  kernel  surrounded  by 
a  transparent  integument,  oily,  inodorous,  of  an  acrid  taste.  The 
seed  and  oil  are  dangerously  drastic,  and  the  oil  vesicating  like 
croton  oil,  but  milder.  The  oil  is  given  in  doses  of  2  to  8  drops. 
In  cases  of  poisoning  Dr.  Grosourdi  has  recommended  good  wine 
and  brandy  given  freely. 
GraminecE. — Zea  Mays,  Linn'e.  The  styles  or  corn  silk,  called 
jilotes  or  cabellos  de  clote,  are  used  for  their  diuretic  and  lithontriptic 
properties,  and  in  rural  districts  are  smoked  like  tobacco. 
Hamamelidece. — The  leaves  of  Hamamelis  virginiana,  Linn'e,  are 
tonic  and  astringent,  and  are  given  in  doses  of  4  gm.  in  decoction. 
Hippocrateacecz. — Hippocratea  obcordata,  Lamarck,  grows  in 
Tasco,  and  is  known  as  coanabichi.  The  infusion  of  leaves  and 
flowers  is  employed  as  a  cough  remedy,  and  the  seeds  yield  a  fixed 
oil  which  may  be  used  in  the  place  of  oil  of  almonds. 
Juglandacece. — Carya  olivseformis,  Nuttall,  the  pecan-nut  of  our 
Western  and  Southwestern  States,  grows  in  San  Luis  Potosi,  Oaxaca, 
Queretaro,  etc.,  where  the  fruit  is  known  as  nuez  encarcelada,  or 
nuez  cliiquita.  The  seeds  are  comestible,  and  yield  a  considerable 
quantity  of  fixed  oil.  The  bark  of  the  branches  has  been  recom- 
mended as  an  antiperiodic  and  in  dyspepsia.  A  strong  decoction 
of  the  epicarp  is  used  as  an  astringent  in  leucorrhcea. 
\To  be  continued.^ 
THE  MEDICINAL  AND  OTHER  USEFUL  PLANTS  OF 
ALGERIA. 
By  P.  L.  Simmonds,  F.L.S. 
At  the  Paris  International  Exhibition  there  were  published  and 
circulated  many  important  treatises  and  essays  on  the  vegetable 
products  of  different  countries,  and  among  others  I  met  with  one 
concerning  those  of  the  Algerian  Colony,  which  is  deserving  of 
more  extended  circulation.  I  have,  therefore,  thought  it  useful  to 
translate  and  condense  some  of  the  details  furnished  therein,  since 
they  were  submitted  by  Messrs.  Bathandier  and  Trabut,  Professors 
of  the  School  of  Medicine.   Possessing  as  Algeria  does  a  remarkably 
