ALTERATIVES - 47 
the deadly night-shade, are highly poisonous. The Bitcersweet 
was used by the American doctors for various complaints, but, 
at present, its use is almost confined to skin diseases, those of 
a scaly nature, psoriasis, ptyriasis, lepra, &c. The usual way 
in which it is administered is a decoction of one ounce of the 
bark to a pint of water; boil in a covered vessel 15 to 20 
minutes ; strain through a cloth, and take a wineglassful three 
or four times a day. It is sometimes beneficial in skin diseases 
to bathe the parts affected with the same medicine. There 
cannot be any harm in so doing ; in fact we would advise it in 
some forms, The Bittersweet enters into some of cur compounds. 
GUAIAOCUM (Lientm Vi12), 
This is the wood of a West Indian tree, of considerable 
size at maturity. It is forty to sixty feet high. The branches are 
knotted, and covered with a striped bark, of an ash-gray 
colour. The stem is cf the same colour. variegated with 
green or purple spots. The leaves are sharp, and in pairs, of 
which there are scmetimes three or four in a‘bunch; small, 
smooth, and dark green. The flowersare of a rich blue colour, 
eight or ten growing together, Near the upper leaves there is 
one seed. It is hard, and of an oblong shape. The Lignum 
Vite is a very dense wood: it sinks in water The chips, 
which is the form usually seen, are of a yellow colow The 
name was given to the wood on account of its supposed 
great remedial power During the 15th and 16th centuries it 
was thought a specific in venereal, but lately it is discarded, to 
a great extent, in the treatment of that disease. I: is, 
however, useful in combination with other alteratives in chronic 
affections of the blood. It entersinto the compcund decoction 
of sarsaparilla, In powder itis an ingredient ‘n our purifying 
mixture for skin complaints, The gum of the same tree hasa 
great reputation in rheumatics. The compourd tincture is the 
best form of its administration. We must close this List, 
although there are many good herbs besides those mentioned, 
as our treatment of complaints will shew. 
