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.
Tar is made from it in Russia, with the odour of Russia leather; this is the German birch tar: also a purified oil, Oleum betulinum, 01. Rusci (nothing to do with Ruscus aculeatus, Butcher's broom). [For 01. Betulae Lentae, sold as oil of "Wintergreen, see note under Chimaphila.]
A yellowish powder, insoluble in water, alcohol or ether. In typhoid fever, to destroy life of baccilli when supposed to be localized in intestines. Salicylic acid is poisonous to bacteria, and is given as a bismuth salt, so as not to be assimilated in the stomach. Dose, 10 grains every six hours.
A brick red crystalline, odourless, tasteless powder, insoluble in water, alcohol, etc.
Used as an antiseptic dusting powder, like Iodoform; or a 1 in 10 ointment, of lard, etc. Medical News, October 9th, 1886.
The yellow oxyiodide has similar properties, but is also used in ulcers of the stomach in doses of 8 to 16 grains.
Common or Brown-black cockroach {order Orthoptera.)
Used in Russia as a diuretic in dropsy. Dose of powder 2 to 8 grains: of tincture (1 of powder to 8 rect. spirit), 1 fluid drachm thrice daily. Does not disturb digestion or irritate kidneys. Its crystalline principle is called Antihydropin by Dr. Bogomolow.
Leaves, thick and leathery, containing an aromatic volatile oil, and a glucoside, Boldoin, an hypnotic in doses of 3 grains.
Therapeutics. Warm carminative tonic, especially in liver complaints. In dyspepsia of drinkers, combined with pepsine or with papain and calisaya bark; in nervous dyspepsia, combined with hydrobromic acid and codeia. Dose, leaves, 8 to 12 grains: wine (1 part leaves to 30 parts wine), a dessert spoonful: tincture (4 ounces leaves to pint rect. spirit), 8 to 15 drops, three times a day: fluid extract, 5 to 10 minims. In French Codex, 1884.
 
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