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.
Mountain Laurel. N. 0. Ericaceae.
Poisonous narcotic in large doses; but in small doses, astringent and a heart sedative. Dose of fluid extract, 2 to 5 minims.
(See Garcinia.)
Nut. Sterculia, acuminata. West Africa. N. 0. Sterculiacece. Some place it in Byttne.riace.ee.
Large reddish-brown edible seeds, about the size of a pigeon's egg; the two fleshy cotyledons, curiously hooked together when fresh, fall asunder in drying. They contain more Caffeine than many coffees (2.3) as well as theobromine, glucose, tannin, and starch, with very little fat.
Therapeutics. A powerful tonic stimulant to the nervous system; and of value in tertiary syphilis, also renders agreeable impure water. Dose of fl. ext., 10 to 30 drops.
Veronica salicifolia and V. parvifiora. 27. Zealand. iV. 0. Scrophulariacece.
Valued in China and used in New Zealand against dysentery and diarrhoea. The Maories chew the leaves and also make an infusion of them. A tincture is used for dysentery. Dose, 15 drops to 2 drachms.
"30 doses cure." - Lancet, July 21st, 1883.
From the female flowers of Brayera anthel-mintica; Hayenia Abyssinica (Lamarck). N. 0. Rosaseoe.
The active principle, Koussin, is a pale fawn powder; Kosin a crystallized substance.
Therapeutics. Against tape worm: they can safely be administered without fear of serious after-effects, and the quantity taken is small. Dose, for adults, 1/2 to 1 drachm; for children, 15 to 30 grains; this quantity to be divided in three portions, to be taken at intervals of one hour on an empty stomach. The dose of both is the same, but Kosin does not cause nausea or disagreeable after-effects.
Prepared by the fermentation (into alcohol, lactic acid and carbonic acid gas) of mare's milk, by Kefir; the latter consists of the spores of Dispora caucasica and Saccharomyces cerevisia. It has peptonising properties, and is grateful in fevers. It can be also produced from cow's milk.
 
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