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.
Mexico. N. O. Legumenotce.
Bark; a decoction of 3 oz. of bark is taken in the 24 hours.
For malarial fevers.
No alkaloid or glucoside yet found in it.
The active principle of the pancreas, by which the assimilation and digestion of fat is effected. Dose of the powder, 20 to 30 grains. Scarcely soluble in water; better be mixed with food.
Brazils. N. 0. Apocynacece.
The bark is a febrifuge: believed to be from Geissospermum loeve or G. Vellosii. The crystalline alkaloid is Geissospermine or Pe-reirine; an amorphous grey powder. The hydrochlorate is used in malarial fevers, in doses of 15 grains daily.
(See Guarana.)
Punicine. C8 H15 NO. Punica Granatum. K 0. Myrtacece.
The alkaloid of Pomegranate root bark; oily, volatile, soluble in water, isomerous with Isopelletierine. The Tannate is a grey powder, odourless, with astringent taste; a good remedy for tape-worm. Dose, 15 to 20 grains in water, or given in water, or dissolved in a solution of Tartaric acid; later on, 1 ounce of castor oil.
Similar properties; very hygroscopic; dose, 7 to 10 grains, 2 grains for a child.
The active salt is generally in a softish, viscid amorphous form; the crystalline form is by some termed Pseudo-pelletierine, and is of doubtful power: add to the Sulphate double its weight of Tannin and water and take at one dose.
Mercuric pepto-glutine Hydrochloride.
Contains 25 % of mercuric chloride, in combination with a kind of semipeptonized gelatine. It occurs in the form of white lustrous lamellae or as a hygroscopic powder. Quite soluble in water, and then it is not precipitated by the ordinary precipitants of corrosive sublimate. The compound has already proved successful as an active antisyphilitic, the injections being relatively painless.
Dose: 1/8 grain. Prepare a 1 % solution, and hypodermically inject a Pravaz syringeful.
 
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