COMMON NAME. Black-snake Root.
    MEDICINAL PART. The root.
    Description. -- Sanicle is an indigenous, perennial herb, with a smooth, furrowed stem, from one to three feet high. The leaves are digitate, mostly radical, and on petioles from six to twelve inches long. Cauline leaves few, and nearly sessile. The flowers are mostly barren, white, sometimes yellowish, fertile onees sessile.
    History. -- It is common to the United States and Canada, and is found in low woods and thickets, flowering in June. The fibrous root is aromatic in taste and odor. It imparts its virtues to water and alcohol.
 Properties and Uses.--In its action upon the system it resembles valerian very much, possessing nervine and anodyne properties. Domestically, it is used with advantage in intermittent fevers, sore-throat, erysipelas, and cutaneous affections. It is very efficacious in chorea, and is very beneficially employed in various nervous affections.
    Dose. -- Powder, one drachm; decoction, from one to four ounces.