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 or Mugho Pine. South East-Europe.
The source of the once-prized Hungarian balsam. Its essential oil, Pinol, by some called Pumiline, is the potent agent in the German "pine cure:" internally, 5 minims on sugar, and externally on flannel as a counter-irritant.
Pinus Pinaster gives in Southern France the dried resin called "Galipot" of the Codex. Pinus Larix, in Tyrol, gives Venice turpentine; P. balsamea, in N. America, Canada balsam; P. Picea, in central Europe, Strasbourg turpentine.
Scotch Pine. North Europe.
Fir-wool oil and extract are made from its leaves, for rheumatism. Fir-wood is a fibrous substance, also prepared from the leaves, and used for wrapping the affected parts. Dose of oil, internally, 15 to 20 drops. The French use the leaf-buds called "Bourgeons de Sapin."
One of the sources of Turpentine and Resin.
From Piper Nigrum. N. 0. Piperacecæ.
Pale yellow four-sided prisms. Believed to be beneficial in fevers. Dose, 2 to 5 grains. Its formula is isomeric with that of morphia.
(See Dogwood.)
Duboisia Hopwoodii, Queensland. N. 0. Scrophulariacecæ (some say A tropacecæ).
A stimulating semi-poisonous narcotic. Leaves much chewed by aborigines, a large dose rendering them furious. Leaves smoked have relieved asthma. Active principle seems to be Nicotine.
Mandrake or May Apple Root. N. 0. Ber-beridacece.
Rhizome and rootlets. An hepatic alterative. Tincture is 1 in 8. Dose fluid ext., 1/2 to 1 fluid dr. In U. S. A. and French Pharm.
P. Emodi (Wallich), from Himalayas. This root contains resin like P. Peltatum, but double the amount, and this resin is richer in podophyllotoxin.
Resin from the above.
A powerful stimulant to the liver, and also an intestinal aperient; useful in bilious headaches. Dose, 1/4 to 1 grain. If perfectly pure, of a pale drab; generally prepared in commerce by the alum process, of various shades of greenish yellow: the yellow colour is considered due to the presence of berberine: the portion of the resin insoluble in ether is reported to have no purgative effect.
 
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