odour, and a bitterish, very acrid taste. It yields its virtues to water and alcohol, and loses them rapidly by keeping. An

active alkaline principle, sanguinarina (CHNO,), has been obtained from it, which possesses the properties of the root, and two other alkaloids have been discovered in it.

Effects and Uses.-Bloodroot is an acrid emetic, and in large doses, an acro-narcotic poison. Locally, it acts as an irritant, and upon fungous surfaces as an escharotic. It is not much used as an emetic; but is occasionally employed with

depression of the pulse, expectoration, and diaphoresis, and with these views it is employed in the treatment of pulmonary affections, dysentery, and inflammatory disorders generally. In still smaller doses, it is useful as a tonic and stomachic. Ipecacuanha was first introduced as a remedy in dysentery, and, after being for a time laid aside, has been again recently used with marked success.

Administration.-Dose, as an emetic, gr. xv to gr. xx, often combined with a grain of tartar emetic; as a nauseant, gr. ss to gr. ij, three or four times a day; as an expectorant or diaphoretic, gr. to gr. 1, repeated; as a tonic, gr. 1, repeated. The fluid extract is used as an addendum to expectorant and diaphoretic mixtures, a fluidounce representing an ounce of the root; as an emetic, dose foss-i; the wine (vinum ipecacuanha), contains two fluidounces of fluid extract in 30 fluidounces of sherry wine; dose, as an emetic, f5ss-i; one part of fluid extract, mixed with fifteen parts of simple syrup, makes Syrupus Ipecacuanha, an excellent preparation for children-fžj, containing gr. xxx of ipecacuanha; for a child a year or two old, f3ss-j, may be given as an emetic, and v-xx drops, as an expectorant. Pulvis Ipecacuanha Compositus, Compound Powder of Ipecacuanha, or Dover's Powder (see Opium, p. 51). Troches of Ipecacuanha contain also arrow-root, sugar, and tragacanth (ipecacuanha and tragacanth each two drachms, arrow-root two troy ounces, sugar eight troy ounces, made into a mass with syrup of orange peel, which is to be divided into 480 troches, each containing one-third of a grain of ipecacuanha).

SANGUINARIA-BLOODROOT.

The RHIZOME of Sanguinaria Canadensis, or Bloodroot (Nat. Ord. Papaveraceae), a small indigenous plant, with radical, cordate, lobate leaves, and a handsome, white, eight-petalled flower, which appears in early spring is usually classed with emetics. When dried, it is in flattened pieces, much wrinkled and contorted, of a reddish-brown colour, with a faint narcotic

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odour, and a bitterish, very acrid taste. It yields its virtues to water and alcohol, and loses them rapidly by keeping. An

this view, in croup and diphtheria, or as a nauseant in pulmonary affections. Dose, as a emetic, gr. x to xx, in pill; or in infusion (half a troyounce to boiling water Oj-not officinal), of which f5ss is the dose. Tincture (four troyounces to diluted alcohol Oij)-dose, as an emetic, f5iij or iv; as an expectorant, 30 to 60 drops. It is also employed externally, dissolved in vinegar.

EUPHORBIA COROLLATA-LARGE FLOWERING SPURGE.

Fig. 19.

EUPHORBIA IPECACUANHA (Ipecacuanha Spurge). The ROOTS of these indigenous plants (Nat. Ord. Euphorbiaceae), possess emetic properties; but they are apt to operate on the bowels, and, in overdoses, prove extremely violent. Dose, gr. x to xv.

GILLENIA.

Gillenia trifoliata, Indian Physic, or American Ipecacuanha (Nat. Ord. Rosaceae), is an indigenous herbaceous plant, with a perennial root, consisting of a number of fibres, arising from a tuber; one or more stems, two or three feet high, of a reddish-brown colour; trifoliate leaves; and white flowers, with a tinge of red. West of the Allegheny Mountains, another species, G. stipulacea, is found, which is identical with the trifoliata in its properties, and is distinguished from it by having its lower leaves pinnatifid. The officinal portion of both is the As found in the shops, it consists of pieces not thicker than a quill, wrinkled, of a reddish-brown colour, and composed of an easily separable and pulverizable cortical portion, and a comparatively inert internal ligneous cord, which should be rejected. The bark has a feeble odour, and a nauseous, bitter taste, and makes a light brownish powder.

ROOT.

Effects and Uses.-Gillenia is a safe and efficacious emetic, resembling ipecacuanha in its action, and, like it, in small doses proves a useful diaphoretic, expectorant, tonic, &c. Dose, as an emetic, gr. xxx; as an expectorant or diaphoretic, gr. ij to iv; and as a tonic, gr. 4.

SINAPIS (Mustard). The POWDERED SEEDS of Sinapis nigra and Sinapis alba (Nat. Ord. Brassicaceae), in doses of from a teaspoonful to a tablespoonful, are very useful emetics, particularly in atonic conditions of the stomach.

TOBACCO and LOBELIA act as emetics in large doses, but their employment is attended with danger, owing to the great prostration which they produce (see pp. 62, 64). SQUILL also possesses emetic powers, but it is too irritating for use in this respect.