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.
(See Cactus.)
Sphaerococcus or Gracilaria Lichenoides. N. 0 Alga.
A greenish purple seaweed on coasts of Ceylon. When dry, it is in opaque white filaments. Demulcent, emollient, and nutritive; used in the East for jelly, etc, and in diarrhoea.
Myrtus Chekan. Chili. If. 0. Myrtaoece.
An evergreen shrub, having leaves resembling Buchu. Relieves bronchitis, coughs, and throat affections, as a tonic demulcent expectorant, especially in winter and for old people: so recommended by Dr. Wm. Murrell. Dose of fluid extract, 1 to 3 drachms. The active principle seems a volatile alkaloid.
Celandine. Indigenous. N. 0. Papaveracece. Its orange-coloured juice is acrid, and destroys warts; internally, it is a diuretic stimulant. It has been used in jaundice. [Chelidonine is active principle: the muriate is used as a laxative, slightly diuretic, in doses of 1 to 3 grains.]
N. America. N. 0. Pyrolacea;. (Ericacece.)
Winter green or Pipsissewa. Dried plant, with pleasant astringent taste. Contains the yellow bitter crystalline principle, Chimaphilin.
Therapeutics. Tonic diuretic, especially as an alterative in scrofula and in dropsy, given as decoction or fluid extract. [The essential oil of "Winter green comes from the leaves of Gualtheria procumbens, Patridge Berry, N. O. Ericaceae. The same ess. oil is produced by Bertula lenta, the sweet Birch of the United States, N. 0. Betulaceae.]
This base, originally produced by Gerhardt from Cinchonine, was made synthetically in 1880 by Dr. W. Konigs, of Munich, from Anilin.
A mobile, refracting liquid. Antiseptic and anti-pyretic. A 5 per cent, solution (alcoholic) has been used to paint fauces in diphtheria.
Chinolin Tartrate. A crystalline powder. The salts of Chinolin distinctly lower the temperature of the body. Chinolin salicylate is also used. Dose of either salt, 5 to 10 grains.
 
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