72        Materia  Medica  of  the  Mexican  Pharmacopoeia.  {^mY^\m&xm' 
MATERIA  MEDICA  OF  THE  NEW  MEXICAX 
PHARMACOPOEIA. 
By  the  Editoe. 
Continued  from  page  24. 
Palo  del  niuerto,  Ipomoea  muricoides,  Kunth;  Convolvulacea? ;  in 
the  Mexican  valley,  Tenango,  &c.  The  decoction  of  the  branches  is 
used  in  baths  against  paralysis,  and  in  the  same  manner  is  also  em- 
ployed I.  arborea,  Kunth,  which  is  abundant  in  the  interior  of  the 
country.  The  former  plant  yields  by  incisions  a  gum-resin,  and  con- 
tains, according  to  Gomez,  tannin,  gum,  sugar,  red  coloring  matter  and 
a  white  crystalline  principle,  which  is  soluble  in  ether  and  chloroform, 
and  has  an  aromatic  odor  similar  to  that  of  the  flowers. 
Palo  mulato  de  Mexico,  Xanthoxylon  pentanome,  De  CancL; 
RutaceaB;  in  the  Mexican  valley.  The  wood  comes  in  pieces  of  differ- 
ent dimensions.  The  bark  is  thick,  hard,  covered  with  a  yellowish, 
slightly  adhering  layer;  the  periderm  underneath  is  greenish  ash- 
colored  in  its  outer  layers,  and  red  brown  in  the  inner  layers;  trans- 
verse fracture  uneven,  showing  alternating  reddish  and  whitish  or 
gray  lines ;  liber  chalky  white ;  inodorous ;  taste  on  mastication  pungent 
and  acrid;  wood  yellowish- white,  coarse.  According  to  Mendez  the 
drug  contains  resin,  tannin,  coloring  matter,  saponin-like  substance, 
glucose,  gum,  extractive  and  a  crystalline  nitrogenous  body  which  is 
soluble  in  alcohol  and  chloroform,  and  is  probably  an  alkaloid.  It  is 
tonic,  stimulant  and  antisyphilitic,  and  in  Veracruz  the  infusion  is 
used  in  black  vomit. 
Papayo,  Carica  Papaya,  Lin.;  Papayacese;  in  Yucatan,  Cordoba, 
Puebla  and  other  hot  and  moist  localities.  The  juice  of  the  green 
fruit  contains  a  caoutchouc-like  substance,  fat,  resins,  albumin,  bitter 
extractive,  malic  acid,  pectin,  salts,  and  a  peculiar  ferment,  papain. 
Dr.  Jose  Font  recommends  the  juice  for  the  cure  of  dyspepsia;  a 
spoonful  of  the  juice  acts  as  a  vermicide.  The  root,  leaves  and  seed 
have  similar  properties.  The  juice  of  the  ripe  fruit  is  made  into  a 
syrup  which  is  employed  for  the  cure  of  bronchitis. 
Parietaria,  Parietaria  pennsylvanica,  Muhlenberg;  Urticacese;  in 
Mexico,  &c.  Diuretic.  The  infusion  is  made  from  5  to  14  gm.  of 
the  plant  to  the  liter.    Dose  of  the  extract  1  to  6  gm. 
Peonia  verdadera,  Pseonia  officinalis  Lin;  Ranunculacese ;  culti- 
vated. The  root  and  seeds  are  employed  to  a  limited  extent;  antispas- 
modic; dose  O 30  to  2  gm.    The  drug  is  popularly  used  in  convul- 
