422 
OBSERVATIONS  ON  GOSSYPIUM  HERBACEUM. 
neither  gastric  distress,  or  acceleration  of  the  pulse ;  if  it  does, 
it  is  not  perceptible;  both  of  which  are  occasioned  by  ergot,  to 
some  extent. 
I  have  witnessed  its  action  in  retained  placenta  with  good  effect, 
which  was  an  expulsion  of  the  mass  in  about  twenty  minutes  after 
the  exhibition  of  the  first  dose.  It  may  be  proper  to  say,  that  I 
gave  two  doses  before  the  placenta  was  thrown  off.  I  believe  it 
to  be  safer  as  a  parturient  agent,  or  an  emmenagogue,  or  at  least 
as  safe,  as  any  other  article  of  the  materia  medica. 
It  should  have  a  fair  and  impartial  trial  by  the  profession 
generally,  because  it  will  prove  itself  worthy  of  the  time  and 
labor  spent  in  its  investigation.  It  is  handy  to  all,  and  free  of 
expense.  A  few  trials  by  the  profession  will  confirm  the  truth 
of  this  short  essay.  Give  it  a  trial,  and  it  will  prove  itself  in 
some  case  of  amenorrhoea,  dysmenorrhea,  or  probably  in  some 
lingering  case  of  labor,  which  may  require  the  assistance  of 
medicine,  to  produce  contraction  of  the  uterus  for  the  expulsion 
of  the  child.  I  think  it  worthy  of  the  attention  of  the  profes- 
sion, in  the  above  cases. 
Tincture  of  the  Cotton  Root  as  a  Tonic. — There  is  a  condition 
of  the  system  in  which  this  tincture  acts  as  a  valuable  restorative. 
These  cases  are  of  a  leuco-phlegmatic  temperament  of  both  sexes, 
but  it  is  to  the  female  sex  that  I  wish  to  draw  the  attention  of 
the  reader.  Where  there  is  general  bad  health,  accompanied 
with  tardy  menstruation,  I  have  used  it  with  the  happiest  effect; 
in  a  few  cases  of  emansio  mensium,  caused  by  anemia,  where  the 
patient  was  troubled  with  pains  in  the  loins  and  giddiness  of  the 
head,  with  a  derangement  of  the  digestive  organs,  such  as 
anorexia,  accompanied  with  an  uneasy,  depressed  feeling  at  the 
scrobiculus  cordis,  every  month,  which  was  promptly  relieved  by 
the  tincture,  but  not  with  the  effect  of  producing  the  menstrual 
flux,  which  was  afterwards  produced  by  the  decoction,  I  find  it 
necessary  to  continue  the  tincture  from  two  to  four  weeks.  "The 
strength  of  the  tincture  that  I  have  been  in  the  habit  of  using, 
is  prepared  thus : 
Bark  of  the  Root,  (dry,)  Iviij. 
Diluted  Alcohol,  lb.  ij. 
Digest  fourteen  days,  then  filter  and  give  it  in  3j.  doses,  three 
