Jalapa

[JALAP. NATURAL OEDEE, CONVOLVULACE^.]

Jalap is found in the woods of the Mexican republic, at an eleva- tion of nearly six thousand feet above the level of the sea. The jalap of commerce is the root of an herbaceous shrub, a perennial tuber, covered by a very thin, blackish, dirty-looking epidermis, resembling in appearance our winter radish.

The dried tubers of true jalap, found in commerce, rarely exceed a pound in weight ; they vary in size from that of a fist to the size of a nut. The larger tubers are frequently found incised. When

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broken, good tubers should present a deep yellowish-gray color, interspersed with deep-brown couceutric circles. Of the root we make a deep-red tincture ; if we wish to obtain the jalap resin, we mix the alcoholic tiucture with water. The precipitated resin is to be washed with warm water, and then dissolved in alcohol. This tincture is evaporated, after which the pure resin remains.

Upon the human subject jalap acts as a powerful and drastic purgative, producing copious liquid stools. It may cause nausea and vomiting, and sometimes gripes. Its action upon the alimentary canal is not accompanied with febrile irritation.

We use jalap in our practice to quiet the screams and nightly restlessness of infants. This use is indicated by Hahnemann him- self. It is recommended for the painful

DIARRHCEA OF INFANTS, with violent restlessness and crying ; more particularly if the stools smell sour. It may likewise prove useful in watery diarrhoea of full-grown persons, with decrease of the pulse and animal heat.