Arum Triphyllum

(Indian Turnip.)

Botanical DEsciumoN The A. Triphyllum of the United States cor- responds closely with the A. Macnlatum of Europe ; both have very Bimi- Iftr effects.

Our native species is fonnd througliout North and South America, growing in rich, shady woods and Bwamps. The cormiis is an inch or two in diameter, and covered with brown, wrinkled epidermis, and internally white, fleshy and solid. The whole plant, when recent, has a peculiar odor and a violent acrid taste; the root, when chewed, causes an insupportable burning and biting sensation in the mouth and throat, con- tinuing for a long time. This acrid principle i^ very volatile, and is expelled by heat.

Hence tliey are roa t d and at n by tbe Indians. The acrid principle is not imparted to wat eth al hoi, or olive oil. By drying, the root loses all its activity Th d a 1 qualities of the root

reside principally in this acrid, volat 1 p n pi Owing to its unstable nature, it will be found very difficult to i u ay preparation in which it wiU be retained.

This acrid principle has been called ATOtne and becomes an inflammable gas, by heat or distillation. Prof. Lee says; "The only way to preserve Uie active principles of the root is to bui'y it in dry sand, by which method it may be preserved for a year,"

Of'ficimai. PaBPAKATioN. — Trituration of the juice of the fresh root with ten parts coarse sugar of milk, made very rapidly. Tincture from

It should be kept in hermetically sealed jars, and protected from light and heat. {Male.)

Sphere of Action.— Mucous membrane of tbe mouth, throat, bronciii, etc., and probably some profoundly injurious effect on the blood.

AHAI.0OIIBS. — Arum mae., Ailantua, Araenieunt, Allium cepa, Nitrie acid, PIioaphoTus, Gaustic.um, Phytolacea, BaptUia.

Avereion to light, with redness of the ejes. TTose.

* Discharge of a bariiiiig ichorous fluid, from the nostrils, exco-

(in a child.)

Pace, Face swollen and red. Swelling of the sub-maxillary glands.

* Lips swollen, cracked; corners of the month sore, bleeding,

cracked. 'The child picks constantly at the lips, cheeks and chin, nnti] they are raw and bleeding (in cases of scarlatina.)

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JJiUU TEIPHTLLUM. 67

* The moutli burns, and ie bo sore that he ret'asea to drink,

and cries when anything is offered. Intense prickling, stinging pain, felt all over the tongue, mouth, lips and fauces, as if from thousands of needles.

* Tongue swollen, red, sore with raised and irritable looking

papillfe. Excessive salivation, and saliva acrid.

Throat Very severe prickling and stinging in the fauces and throat,

all the time; worse when ewallowiug. Throat feels constricted, sore, burning, cannot swallow. ° Sudden, severe attacks of tonsillitis; cedema of the glottis; acute catarrhal inflammation of the fauces.

Burning heat in the (esophagus and stomach, which spreads rapidly all over the body.

TTrine. I'Vequent discharge of abundant, pale urine.

Eespiratory Organa- Gi'eat hoarseness — inability to talk. Voice uncertain, changing continually.

* Accumulation of mucus in the trachea; hawking up of thick,

white mucus. " Hoarseness and sore throat of clergymen, public spea

and singers. Dry cough, with dryness, prickling and soreness in the fa

(P-)

Loose rattling cough in children and aged persons, with ina- bility to expectorate, (s.) ° Asthma humida, with mncous rales and diflcult expectoration.

Dry, feverish heat of the skin.

* Eruption like scarlet rash, the skin peels off afterwards,

with itching.

Excited circulation, followed by hot perspiration, with prickling of the skin.

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OS ASABEJM CANADESSM.

ASARUM CANADENSB.

(Wild-Oinger.)

BOTAHicAL Dbsceiptioh,— Asarum caaadcnse, likewise calkd Indian ginger, Colt's foot, or Canada Snakeroot, has a close resemblance to tlie A, Earopseum. Tlie root stalk is long, creeping, fleshy, pointed, yellowish, and ftrnislied witi. root leaves of a similar color. The stem is very short, dividing before it emerges from the ground, into two long, roand, hairy leaf-stalks, each of wliich bears a broad half formed leaf, are covered witli soft abort hairs on both sides, light green and shining above, veined and pale, or bluish, below.

The flower is solitary, growing from the fork of the stem, upon a pendulous, hairy peduncle, being often concealed by the loose soil, or decayed vegetable matter, around it. The calyx is very wooly, consisting of three broad concave sharp-pointed segments, of a brownish, dull purple or greenish color, on the inside and at top and bottom, depending on ihe aniounc of light whicb tlie plant enjoys, and terminated by n Iu"5, ipfHiUnH, iiiilccted point, with reflected sides. Corolla wanting.

Filaments twelve, unequal in length, inserted upon the ovary, and rise with a slender point above the anthers, which are attaclied to their sides just below the extremity. Ovary inferior, somewhat hexagonal; style conical, striated and parted at top into six recurved, radiating stigmas. Capsule six-celled, stiff, and crowded with the adhering calyx. The Asarum c. is a native of the United States, growing in woods and shady places, and flowering from April to July.

The whole plant has a grateful, aromatic odor, and bitter, but agreeably aromatic tasl«. The roots are iu long, contorted pieces, vari-ing in thickness lh>m a line to four or flve inches in diameter, brownish and wrinkled externally, internally hard, brittle and whitish. It contains a light-colored, pungent, and flagrant essential oil, a reddish, bitter, resinous matter, starch, gum, fatty matter, chlorophyll, and salts of potassa, lime and ii'on.

Abalooues. — Asarum Ev/ropceuM, Seneeio, Tanacetiim, Sabina, Atti^ica,

" Headache from suppressed nasal catarrh.

'W^aterj', irritating discharge from the nose.

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ASOL-EFIAS INCARKATA — IXtBEEOEA, 69

ASCLBPIAS INCARNATA.

(Swamp Milkweed.)

BoTANicAi Description This plaflt is known by various names, aa Swamp Silkweedf Fleah-eolored Asdepiai, Bose-colored SiHciBeed, While Indian Hemp, etc. It has a smooth, erect stem, with two downy lines above and on the branches and peduncles, branching above, and about two or three feet liigli. The leaves are opposite, oblong, lance-shaped, acute or pointed, obtuse at the base, on short leaf sterna, and slightly downy or woolly.

The fioweri are red or reddish-purple, sweet-scented, and disposed in numerous umbels, which are crowded, erect, mostly terminal, and often in opposite pairs- Hoods of tlie crown entire, horn standing out, and awl- shaped. The leaves are four to seven inches long, and fVom one-half an inch to an inch and a half wide; umbels are from two to six, on a pedun- cle two inches long, and consists of from ten to twenty small flowers. There are several varieties of this plajit; the A. pwlchra, which ia more hairy, with broader and shorter petioled leaves; the A. glabra, which is almost destitute of hairs, with two opposite longitudinal hairy lines on the Stem, and leaves witli rough margins, midrib glandular below; and the A. alba, which has white flowers.

This plant grows in damp and wet soils throughout the TJnited States, and bears red flowers from June to August. It emits a millcy Juice on being wounded.

The root is tlie officinal part; it varies in thickness from one to six lines, and is of a light yellowish or brownish color. It imparts its properties to water and alcohol.

Opficimai. PiiBFAKATioas.-i-Tincture by maceration, and triturations of tlie root.

Abalo&obs, — Asdepim tuberosa and Aselepiai iyriana, Pulsatilla, Seaeeio, Copaina, Sabina,