1. Mucu'Na Pru'Riens, Cowhage, Cowitch

Mucu'Na Pru'Riens, Cowhage, Cowitch. Hairs of the pods, official 1820-1880; E. and W. Indies. Climbing plant, flowers resemble those of the pea, purple; leaflets hairy; pods coriaceous, shape of italic letter f, 10 Cm. (4') long, covered with brown hairs, 2.5 Mm. (1/10') long, stiff, filled with brown granular matter, readily penetrating the skin, causing violent itching. Detached from pods (which then are eaten as also when green in India) by dipping into honey, scraping into paste; contains resin, tannin. Used as anthelmintic for round worms; irritant in paralysis; action on worms thought to be mechanical. Dose, gr. 1-3 (.06-.2 Gm.), followed by calomel, jalap; ointment also used.

Fig. 207. - Geranium maculatum: rhizome and transverse section of rhizome and root, natural size.

2. Gera'Nium Macula'Turn, Wild (Spotted) Cranesbill

Gera'Nium Macula'Turn, Wild (Spotted) Cranesbill. Geraniaceae. The dried rhizome, official 1820-1910; N. America, rich woods, thickets. Perennial, hairy herb, .3-.6 M. (1-2°) high; leaves palmately 5-7-lobed, each lobe incised at apex, cuneate, hairy, pale green with paler spots; flowers large, purplish, umbels; petals 5, entire; fruit long-beaked. Rhizome, cylindraceous, 2.5-10 Cm. (1-4') long, 3-15 Mm. (1/8-3/5') thick, sharply tuberculated, dark brown, fracture short, brownish, purplish, bark thin; wood-wedges yellowish, cambium dark, pith large; odor slight; taste strongly astringent; solvents: alcohol, water; contains tannin 10-28 p. c., gallic acid, resin, crystalline principle, geranium-red, a phlobaphene formed from the tannin, ash 8 p. c. Astringent, tonic; diarrhoea, chronic dysentery, hemorrhages, gleet, leucorrhoea, aphthae, relaxed vagina, throat, uvula, rectum, indolent ulcers. Dose, gr. 15-60 (1-4 Gm.; decoction (made with water or milk); extract; fluidextract (glycerin 10, alcohol 60, water 30), 3ss-l (2-4 ML (Cc.)); tincture; "Eclectic" geranin.

3. G. Robertia'num. - Europe; popular astringent for hemorrhages, diuretic for gravel. Ero'dium (Geranium) moscha'tum, Stork's-bill; diaphoretic. E. cicuta'rium, Heron's-bill; diuretic for dropsy.