248 
SELECTED ARTICLES. 
ART. XL.— ON SOME OF THE PROPERTIES OF MONNINA 
The Monnina potystachya is a beautiful plant, belonging to 
the natural order Polygalese, and Diadelphia octandria of the 
artificial system; it grows on the mountains of South America, 
in damp, shady situations, and is known to the inhabitants 
under the name of yallhoy. 
The bark of the root is the only part used. The root is 
fusiform, simple, and about two feet long; its cortical portion 
is of a straw yellow colour, sometimes marked with small 
grayish spots; it is fibrous, about two lines in thickness, has 
a faint nauseous smell, and a taste at first sweetish and muci- 
laginous; but afterwards somewhat acrid and bitter, producing 
on mastication an abundant secretion of saliva, and also greatly 
augmenting, even in small doses, the flow from the nose, ac- 
companied with incessant sneezing. It likewise possesses the 
property of producing a lather with water, like soap. 
Physicians in Peru consider this bark as a powerful astrin- 
gent, and as highly useful in diseases of the bowels. It is also 
very analogous to the Seneka snakeroot in its expectorant 
qualities. The following formula? are in general use: 
Jinti-dysenteric infusion. 
Cut the bark into small pieces and infuse for an hour in a close 
vessel, shaking from time to time; strain the infusion when 
cold; to be taken at two doses. 
Powder of yallhoy. 
POLYSTACHYA. By E. Mouchon, Jr. 
Cort. monnin. 
Aqua, bullient. 
6 grammes, 
500 " 
Pulv. cort. monnin. 
Sacch. alb. 
To be given at a dose. 
1 gramme, 3 decigrammes, 
4 grammes, 
