This section is from the book "Recent Materia Medica: Notes On Their Origin And Therapeutics", by F. Harwood Lescher. Also available from Amazon: Recent materia medica.
Used for ascarides in children, in infusion or syrup, or chewed like licorice root.
Indigenous, but very rare.
Rhizome. Warm, irritating stimulant, producing purging and vomiting. It was formerly used as an errhine in Cephalic snuff.
Rhizome. Purifying cathartic. Used in catarrh, rheumatism, and syphilis. Dose fluid extract, 20 to 60 minims every three hours. Recently recommended as a speedy and reliable diuretic. Tincture (1 in 10) dose, 10 to 30 drops.
Pleurisy or White Root.
Large fusiform root. Diaphoretic diuretic; promotes perspiration in pleurisy, and inflammation of the lungs, without stimulating. Dose of fluid extract, 1/2 to 2 fluid drachms.
Influences the serous tissues, especially in febrile dysentery.
Silk or Milk Weed.
Root-bark; purgative, emetic, and heart-tonic. Dose of fluid extract, 1/2 to 1 fluid drachm. Valuable as a diuretic in dropsy, in doses of 10 drops of fluid extract, every 4 hours. Tincture 1 in 10. Dose, 10 to 30 minims.
A brownish red syrupy liquid, formed by the union of carbolic sulphuric acids; s. g. 1.45. Aseptol generally contains one third sozolic acid. Slight odour. Soluble in alcohol, water and glycerine.
Therapeutics. An antiseptic, less powerful than carbolic acid: used in aqueous solutions, containing 5 to 10 per cent. of aseptol.
It is antiseptic, without poisonous or irritating properties; especially adapted for surgery.
From Asparagus officinalis, Althaea, etc. Diuretic in gout and dropsy, and hypertrophy of the heart. Dose, 1 grain, three times a day.
(See Quebracho.)
This alkaloid is the active principle of true Quebracho bark (which see). Relieves the difficult breathing of asthma. Dose, 1/4 to1/2 grain, in water acidulated with sulphuric acid.
 
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