This should not be oonfouDded wiii A Androsemifolium. Tiie medical properties of tlie two are widely different. BoTAHiCAL Dbbcjuptiok. — It is a perennial plant, stems herbpeeoua, erect, branching, of a brown color, and two or three feot in liejg]il; Uio leaves are opposite, ovate, oblong, acute at botb enda, and somewhat downy beneath; tl.e cymes are pedunculate, many-flowered and pubescent; the corolla la small and greenish, with a tube not longer than the calyx, and with an erect border. The pod, or follicle is from three to five inches long, and resembles the pods of the Asclepias syriaca, or common silk weed, but are much smaller. The stalk and root abounds in a milky juice which concretes into a sub stance closely resembling caoutchouc. It Is the juice which contains the active principles The root which is the officinal part is horizontal five or sis ftet jn lengtli, about onethird of an incli thick dividing new tbt end into branches which terminate abruptly of a yellowish l)rown color when young but dark chestnut when old of a strong odoi and a niuseous somewhat aciid and a permanently bitter taste It grows in damp places, by marshes and running stroams, and is indl genous to nearly every part of the United States, Officinaj. Prbparationb. — Tincture of tlie root, made by maceration with dilute alcohol. Triturations of the root. (Tlie tincture should be dark red, or light brown, and of an intensely bitter taste. I have used a tincture made with Spirit. Nitri dulc, with most excellent effects. The tincture and its dilutions seem to affect the urinary organs, but are not as efficacious in Drop»y, etc. An infusion of one ounce of the fres]i root in one quart of water, has been successftilly administered and seems to act more promptly in dropsy in tcaspoonful doses than any otlier preparation. The trituration seems to be most cfflca^ cious in affections of pulmonary organs.) From the fact that in many cases, particularly in dropsical efluaions, the most powerful, as well as the most speedy and certain effects, have been obtained from the decoction, and that Hunt's decoction seemed to answei the purpose better than any other preparation ever proposed. It may be dbyGoogle 46 APOCYJJOM CAKNAUINUM. procured through Boericke & Tafel. This formula, which is almost the same aa Hunt's, and which will act equally well; Take of the fresh root one part, by weight, add nine parts, by fluid measure, of boiling water, allow to stand sis or eight hours, then add one part alcohol, allow to stand sis or eight hours more, ■wben it may be filtered aad kept as a per- manent decoction. Dilutions may be made from this, tlie first and second, using part water, the third, and higher, all alcohol. SpnBKB oif Action. — Mucous surfaces, serous membranes, skin and kid- neys; causing increased secretion and elimination (primary,) followed by the opposite condition, (secondary.) ABAix>eT)ES. — Ascl^ias iuberoea and gyriaca, Bupatoriuin purpureiaa, Hetleborus niger, Kali-hydruj/id, Bemoale of amnuraia.