60 THE NEW ZEALAND FAMILY HERB DOCTOR. 
adult is from one totwo ounces; children one to four drachms. 
It may be eaten or dissolved in water. It enters into several 
WOrm mixtures. 
CASCARA SEGRADA (Ruaamyus PursHana). 
The California buckthorn. A small tree growing on the 
Pacific slope, called by the early Spanish settlers Sacred Bark. 
It is reasonable to suppose that they must have known of its 
virtues, notwithstanding the fact that it is only a few years 
since it was introduced to the faculty and the general public. 
Being so comparatively unknown we cannot find a picture of it, 
or we should like to give it a place amongst our illustrations. 
However, we hope to acclimatise it soon, as it is one of the 
very best cathartics yet discovered ; also a first-classtonic. For 
these purposes it has been used with great success during 
the last six years by the American doctors, and during the last 
three or four years by the physicians and others in all parts of 
the world. While its virtues may be said to be beyond praise 
in its abovenamed properties, it has lately been found to be 
@ specific in rheumatism. ' This latter virtue was discovered 
by a doctor in the U. 8S. army, who, while troubled with rheu- 
matism took a good dose of the Cascara as an aperient, it 
surprised him to find that his rheumatic pain was gone soon 
alter. He had occasion to prescribe for the same painful 
affection the following day. Cascara was given and the same 
effect was noticed; the pains were relieved very soon, and in 
a couple of days a cure was effected. The doctor had charge 
of a division of a large hospital in which were some 25 cases 
of rheumatism. He resolved before making known his dis- 
covery to test it well; so he gave it to all these patients with 
the most gratifying results, nearly all were relieved and cured. 
The iodide of potassium, which is the sheet-anchor of the 
regulars, was almost superseded by the new remedy, although 
the doctor found that in some cases the combination was 
advantageous. The above facts have been set forth in most 
of the medical journals. After noticing the above we tried 
the same remedy and found it correct. It is now the chief 
