AmMarch,T8h95ym}    The  Apocynacece  in  Materia  Medic  a.  173 
that  of  cocaine.  The  Amorphous  Ouabdine  is  toxic  in  the  dose  of  2 
m.gm.  per  kilo  in  the  rabbit,  and  3  to  5  m.gm.  in  the  pigeon.  Caris- 
sol  is  said  likewise  to  be  toxic. 
The  extremely  small  dose  allowable  renders  the  employment  of 
Ouabdine  in  medicine  very  difficult.  Its  use  at  present  appears  to  be 
restricted  to  the  treatment  of  whooping  cough.  The  dose  is  one  to 
two-tenths  of  a  milligramme. 
Carissa  xylopicron  Dup.-Th.  The  Carissa  coriacea,  Wall.;  the 
Bitter- Wood  of  Bourbon,  Bois  d'  absinthe.  The  wood  appears  in  the 
market  in  pieces  with  or  without  the  bark,  and  is  used  in  cups,  etc., 
the  same  as  the  wood  of  Picrcena  excelsa  or  the  Ochrosia  borbonica. 
The  wood  is  of  an  orange  or  yellowish-white  color,  odorless,  very 
bitter  and  a  persistent  aftertaste,  and  colors  the  saliva  yellow.  It 
has  a  reputation  as  a  bitter  tonic,  febrifuge  and  stomachic  and  also 
as  a  vermifuge. 
HERBS  AND  LEAVES. 
Leaves  of  the  Rose  Laurel. — These  leaves  are  at  times  opposite, 
but  the  more  frequently  verticillate  in  threes  about  the  young 
branches.  They  are  rigid,  tough  and  coriaceous,  on  short  petioles. 
They  are  lengthily  lanceolate,  margins  entire,  attenuated  at  both 
extremities,  the  point  acute.  The  upper  face  is  a  deep  green,  dull ; 
the  lower  surface  is  somewhat  brighter.  The  midvein  is  prominent 
with  numerous  very  fine  secondary  veins.  The  leaves  are  quite  acrid 
and  bitter. 
According  to  Schmiedeberg  they  contain  three  glucosides,  Nerein 
which  he  considered  identical  with  Digit alein ;  Neriantin  and 
Oleandrin.  The  therapeutic  action  appears  to  be  that  of  a  heart 
tonic  and  more  distinctly  diuretic  than  Digitalis  without  accumula- 
tion, and  is  likewise  said  to  be  useful  in  dyspnoea,  oedema  and  pal- 
pitations. It  is  likewise  frequently  used  in  certain  cutaneous  affec- 
tions as  an  antipsoric  and  parasiticide. 
Periwinkles. — The  various  species  of  Vinca  that  are  recognized 
as  interesting  medicinally  are  Vinca  minor  L,  V.  major  L.,  V.  media 
Link  et  Hoffm.,  V.  acutiflora  Bertol.,  V.  herbacea  Waldst  et  Kit. 
These  may  be  substituted  one  for  the  other  without  any  great  dis- 
advantage, but  the  two  first  mentioned  are  the  most  important. 
They  are  said  to  be  bitter  and  astringent  and  serviceable  as  vul- 
neraries  and  are  slightly  laxative.  They  have  also  been  recommended 
in  leucorrhcea.    No  active  principle  has  yet  been  isolated. 
