38 THE NEW ZEALAND FAMILY HERB DOCTOR. 
~ASTRINGENTS. 
This class of remedies abounds in the vegetable world. 
They are highly valuable, especially in hot countries, and 
during the hot seasons of more temperate ones, when 
diarrhoea, dysentery, and bowel complaints are common. The 
first on the list is our famous New Zealand 
KOROMIKA (Native VERONICA), 
Its virtue has long been known to the Maoris, who speedily 
cured the early settlers with it. As we intend to give it in 
our illustrations, a description of its appearance will not be 
needed. Itis found growing in almost every native bush. The 
simplest, and as good as any other way to use itis to take three 
or four of the leaves and eat them, and their effect will soon 
be manifest; or an infusion made of an ounce of the 
leaves chopped up, to a pint of boiling water. Steep one 
hour ; strain, and give a wineglassful every one, two, or three 
hours, according to the urgency of the case. The dose for 
children will be according to age, from a teaspoonful up. We 
find that the dried leaves do not act so well, as they seem to 
lose their power by being kept. A fluid extract can be made 
In two ways: Ist, Infuse in the above proportion, strain, and 
evaporate slowly till you have the same weight as that of the 
leaves you used ; let it cool, then add one-tenth of spirits of 
wine, to keep it from fermenting or souring. 2nd. Takea given 
quantity of the plant, chop it up, then pour on it the same 
weight of spirits of wine; let it steep two or three days or a 
week; then press it out, strain through a fine cloth; bottle, 
and give, for an adult, a teaspoonful less or more, according 
to age and urgency of case. 
STRINGY BARK (Evcatyrrvs OBLIQUA). 
_ This tree is a native of Australasia, (called Red Gum); it 
1s well known to bushmen, and can be found in most of our 
forests. It is a very valuable astringent in diarrhoea, as the 
following case will show :-— 
