■'^'"Flrxs^so"'"'-}  Gleanings  from  the  German  Journals.  89 
A  Tincture  of  the  Root  of  Baptisia  Tinctoria  (see  "Am.  Jour. 
Phar.,"  1862,  p.  310,  and  Dec,  1879,  p.  577),  was  used  with  ver]/ 
good  success  by  Johnson  in  the  treatment  of  seven  cases  of  typhoid 
fever,  three  of  which  were  very  severe,  in  the  dose  of  i  to  5  drops 
every  one  to  four  hours  in  connection  with  cool  lotions,  milk  and  stimu- 
lants ;  it  almost  entirely  prevented  delirium  and  diarrhoea,  diminishing 
the  heat  and  soon  affecting  a  cure.  The  root  has  a  sickening  taste, 
causes  vomiting  and  diarrhoea  when  taken  fresh,  and  was  formerly  used, 
as  Dr.  Rosenthal  informs  us,  as  an  antiseptic  remedy  in  scarlet  and 
typhoid  fever,  and  also  as  a  substitute  for  quinia. — Pharm.  Centralh,, 
Nov.  20,  1879,  p.  438. 
The  Seeds  of  Simaba  Cedron,  Cedron  tree,  N.  O.  Simarubeae, 
indigenous  to  New  Granada,  resemble  almonds  in  appearance  and  are 
known  as  "  Cedron."  They  are  prescribed  by  the  physicians  of  New 
Granada  as  a  fever  medicine,  and  are  also  used  internally  and  externally/ 
as  an  antidote  for  the  bite  of  poisonous  animals.  The  natives  of  New 
Granada  and  Central  America  never  venture  into  the  forests  unless 
supplied  with  a  few  of  the  seeds,  which  are  cut  into  thin  transverse 
sections,  and  these  are  applied  to  the  wounds.  Fever  patients  cut  the 
seeds  into  pieces  the  size  of  a  pea,  which  they  swallow  gradually. 
Hager  attributes  their  efficiency  to  quassiin,  the  bitter  principle  of  quas- 
sia, a  large  percentage  of  which  he  supposes  is  contained  in  them.  The 
seeds  of  other  species,  like  S.  ferruginea,  St.  Hil.  (Picrodendron  cal- 
unga,  Martius),  are  probably  collected  in  Brazil  as  "  Cedron." — Ibid,^ 
Nov.  20,  1879,  p.  435. 
Eugenia  cheken,  N.  O.  Myrtaceae,  indigenous  to  the  forests  of 
Chili,  is  recommended  by  Augusto  Borchers,  at  Valparaiso,  as  a  new 
valuable  drug.  The  inhalations  of  the  vapors  rising  from  its  aqueous 
infusion  are  stated  to  be  very  efficacious  in  the  treatment  of  diphtheritis, 
bronchitis  and  laryngitis,  while  the  aqueous  infusion  and  the  extract  of 
the  plant  were  successfully  employed  in  the  treatment  of  indigesti 
dyspepsia  and  all  bowel  and  kidney  complaints. — Ber.  d.  Deutch.  Ch 
Ges,^  xii,  1789,  p.  21 1 1. 
Mikania  Guaco,  HBK.,  was  first  recommended  by  an  Indian  to 
Mutis  (1788)  as  a  prophylactic  for  snake  bite  ;  soon  after  its  juice  and 
a  tincture  of  it  were  used  for  intermittent  fever,  rheumatism,  gout, 
cramps,  hydrophobia,  syphilis,  old  sores,  and  cholera;  it  was  soon, 
however,  almost  forgotten  until  Dr.  G.  van  Schmitt,  a  Dutch  physi- 
on, 
■Jem. 
