8S 
UVA URSI, OR BEARBERRT. 
ART. XXVII.— ON UVA 3 URSI OR BEARBERRY. 
By J. Curtis C. Hughes. 
(An Inaugaral Essay.) 
The Uva Ursi is a low evergreen shrub, with long trailing 
stems. The leaves are short, oval, oblong, cuneate, smooth, 
shining, of a dark green colour on the upper surface. On the 
under surface they are of a lighter colour, and traced with 
veins of net work. When fresh, they are void of smell, but 
when dry and bruised they have the odour of hay. The 
flowers are of a reddish white colour. The fruit is a round 
berry. It is green at first, but when ripe it becomes red. 
The leaves are used for tanning, and would form a good sub- 
stitute for sumac. This shrub inhabits northern Europe, Asia 
and America. It flourishes in a cold and barren soil. Our 
market is supplied from New Jersey. 
Medical Properties. 
Uva Ursi is an astringent tonic and diuretic. As an as- 
tringent it is applicable to all the purposes for which the 
vegetable astringents are used. The principal use of this me- 
dicine is in chronic affections of the bladder and kidneys. 
It has been used with success in strangury, with discharge 
of mucus ; and also in gravel, by a direct action on the 
kidneys, and by giving tone to the digestive organs, in dia- 
betes, gleet, fluor albus, raenorrhagia, and pulmonary con- 
sumption. The dose of the powder £i. to 3j. Of the de- 
coction f.gi. to f.giij. made by boiling 1 oz. of Uva Ursi 
with a pinLand a half of distilled water to a pint. Of the ex- 
tract grs. v. to grs. xv. 
Chemical History. 
1st. Two oz. of Uva Ursi in powder were treated by 
displacement with six fluid ounces of alcohol. The result- 
