200 
Medicinal  Uses  of  Flower's. 
( Am.  Jour.  Pharnv 
1       April,  1891. 
changing  to  red);  concentrated  HN03  dissolves  colorless,  becoming 
red  and,  after  a  short  time,  yellow ;  Froehde's  reagent  yellowish- 
green  ;  concentrated  H2S04  yellow,  yellowish-green,  and  after  some 
time  dark  green  without  fluorescence.  Jervine  forms  a  neutral  hydro- 
chlorate  CuH,,N00.HCl2H.,0,  and  an  acid  sulphate  CuH0./N0o. 
H3S04H20. 
Yeratroidine  and  the  rhombic  crystals  possess  sternutatory 
properties,  while  jervine  does  not.  Physiological  experiments 
made  by  Prof.  Kobert  upon  dogs  or  cats  and  frogs  established  the 
lethal  dose  (by  subcutaneous  injection)  for  I  kilo,  weight  of  these 
animals.  Veratroidine  :  dogs  or  cats,  0-9  mg. ;  frogs,  9  mg.  Rhombic 
crystals:  dogs  or  cats,  12  mg. ;  frogs,  3  mg.  Jervine:  4  mg.  for 
dogs  and  cats  while  80  mg.  for  frogs  were  without  any  apparent 
action.  0  03  mg.  veratroidine  per  kilo  injected  directly  into  the 
blood  vessel  of  a  dog  produced  marked  reduction  of  the  pulse  rate. 
\/         THE  MEDICINAL  USES  OF  FLOWERS. 
By  P.  L.  Simmonds,  F.L.S. 
Among  the  various  parts  of  plants  which  are  used  in  medicine,  flowers  play 
no  insignificant  part  in  different  countries.  Besides  those  which  are  recognized 
in  pharmacy,  a  great  number  are  popularly  employed.  It  may  not  be  unin- 
teresting to  enumerate  some  of  these  and  to  give  a  few  details  concerning  them. 
Flowers  have  their  uses  also  as  food  substances,  as  important  sources  of  per- 
fumery, and  as  dyes,  but  it  is  for  their  alleged  medicinal  properties  that  we 
would  regard  them  here. 
The  strobiles  of  the  female  flowers  of  the  hop  are  valuable  for  their  aromatic, 
tonic  and  mild  narcotic  properties. 
The  Damask  roses  are  grown  for  medicinal  purposes.  Before  the  bud  is  about 
to  open,  the  bottom,  or  ''  heel  "  as  it  is  termed,  is  cut  off,  and  the  top  dried  and 
preserved,  to  make  either  infusion  or  conserve  of  roses.  The  Provence  rose 
{R.  gallica)  is  said  to  be  astringent.  The  flower  of  the  hollyhock  {Althcea 
rosea)  is  mucilaginous  and  demulcent  and  officinal  in  Greece.  Those  of  the 
marsh  mallow  {Althcea  officinalis^  are  much  used  in  France  under  the  name 
of  "Gaimauve."  The  red  flowers  of  Grislea  toinentosa  are  considered  an 
astringent  tonic. 
The  dried  stigmas  of  the  Crocus  are  also  of  importance.  Saffron  has  been 
highly  prized  from  a  remote  period  as  a  condiment,  perfume  and  dye.  It  is 
largely  produced  in  France,  and  other  parts  of  Europe,  and  is  also  grown  in 
some  parts  of  Asia,  China,  Japan  and  Tunis.  The  stigmas  are  the  only  useful 
product  of  the  flower,  the  rest  being  waste,  and  of  these  it  takes  some  70,000  to 
produce  a  pound  of  saffron.  It  is  used  for  coloring  and  flavoring  food,  and  even 
for  dyeing  morocco  leather,  but  the  price  is  too  high  to  admit  of  its  extensive 
use  as  a  dye.  About  280  cwt.,  valued  at  £58,000,  are  imported  into  India.  Cake 
saffron  is  made  of  the  florets  pressed  together  with  mucilage. 
