THE 
AMERICAN  JOURNAL  OF  PHARMACY 
DECEMBER,  1871. 
ON  THE  FLUID  EXTRACT  OF  CHESTNUT  LEAVES. 
By  John  M.  Maisch. 
Read  at  the  Pharmaceutical  Meeting  of  the  Phila.  College  of  Phar. ,  Nov.  21. 
In  1862,*  Mr.  Gr.  C.  Close  called  attention  to  the  beneficial  effects 
of  the  leaves  of  the  chestnut  tree,  Castanea  vesca,  Lin.,  var.  Ameri- 
cana^ in  whooping  cough.  I  have  since  learned  that  the  leaves  are 
popularly  used  and  highly  valued  in  various  parts  of  this  country  as 
a  remedy  for  this  disease,  and  that  in  some  sections  of  New  Jersey 
and  also  of  the  Southern  States,  peach  leaves  are  employed  for  the 
same  purpose  ;  of  the  latter,  Dr.  F.  P.  Porcherf  remarks  :  "  A  tea 
of  the  leaves  is  a  favorite  domestic  palliative  in  whooping  cough,  and 
inmost  pectoral  affections." 
The  favorable  effects  of  chestnut  leaves  in  the  disease  mentioned 
has  since  been  confirmed  by  the  observations  of  several  physicians, 
and  from  cases  which  have  come  under  my  notice,  their  use  appears 
not  only  to  frequently  alleviate  the  severity  of  the  attacks,  but  even 
to  break  the  paroxysms,  leaving  merely  a  cough  attended  with  mu- 
cous expectoration,  which  gradually  yields  to  ordinary  expectorants. 
Chestnut  leaves,  however,  are  not  a  specific  against  pertussis,  though 
its  effects  are  perhaps  beneficial  in  a  majority  of  cases.  In  1868, 
during  the  prevalence  of  whooping  cough  in  this  city,  two  of  my  chil- 
dren being  attacked  with  it,  derived  no  benefit  whatever  from  their 
use,  nor  had  bromide  of  ammonium  and  hyoscyamus  any  good  result ; 
but  the  spasms  were  allayed  by  assafoetida,  which  was  given  in  the 
form  of  syrup  prepared  by  the  formula  published  on  page  396  of  this 
volume. 
*  Proceedings  Araer.  Pharm.  Assoc.,  p.  236.  Amer.Journ.  Pharm.,  1863,  p.  66» 
t  Resources  of  the  Southern  Fields  acd  Forests,  p.  198. 
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