DAPHNE TRIBE OF PLANTS. 
255 
In the Daphne tribe there are many varieties. The fol- 
lowing are on the table, all of which appear to possess, in a 
different degree, the irritating property peculiar to the 
class: — 
Introduced into England. 
Daphne 
Neapolitana 
Native of Naples 
1822 
it 
Cneorum (Garland flowei 
■) - 
Austria 
1752 
tt 
Indica 
China 
1800 
a 
Indica rubra 
Oleafolia (silky) 
Crete 
1820 
it 
Gnidium 
Spain 
1597 
it 
Axillaris - 
a 
Pontica 
Pontus 
1759 
tt 
Pontica rubra 
hybrid 
1827 
tt 
Collina (hill) 
Italy 
1752 
ti 
Tarton-raira 
France 
1640 
a 
Dauphinii 
tt 
Mezereum 
Woods, England 
a 
Laureola 
tt 
In the London Pharmacoposia only the bark of the root of 
the Daphne Mezereum is ordered. In the French Codex the 
powder of the bark of the Daphne Gnidium only ; and a cau- 
tion is given in the arrangements for powdering a substance 
so dangerous to the operator. I have myself suffered severely 
when powdering either the Daphne Mezereum or Laureola^ 
from the small particles rising and irritating the nostrils. 
In the remarks on Decoctum Sarsae. Co., in the London 
Pharmacopoeia, it is asserted, that "Mezereon is the only ac- 
tive substance here added to the sarsaparilla: it contains a 
neutral vegetable matter, called Daphnine." The Edinburgh 
and Dublin Pharmacopoeias order a decoction of Mezereon, 
made with two drachms to three pounds of water, boiled to 
two-thirds, to which half an ounce of liquorice-root is added. 
Several foreign Pharmacopoeias have formulae similar to 
this, but the proportion of Mezereon is greater. Formulae 
for gargles, ointments, tinctures, and paper saturated with 
