AMERICAN MEDICAL BOTANY V2

i

AMERICAN

T

MEDICAL BOTAKY,

m

KBING A COLLECTION
OF THE

NATIA E MEDICINAL PLANTS
or THE

UNITED STATES,
CONTAINING THtlR

BOTANICAL HISTORY AND CHEMICAL ANALYSIS,
AND PHOPERTIES AND USES
IX

MEDICINE, DIET AND THE ARTS,
WITH

COl.OURED EXORAVINGS

BY JACOB BIGELOW,

M. D.

nU3XFO«D PROFESSOU ANH LECTUHER ON MATERIA MEHICA AND BOTANY
IN HAUVAIID USIVEUSITr.

VOL, H.

BOSTON:
rtJBLISIIED

BOSTON BOOKSTOUE,

NO, 1 COUYIIILL

TTNITERSITlt FR£SS....niLLIABD

AND

1818.

Mo. Bot. Garden,
"1

893

.^lETCALF.

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/jyr/
DISTRICT OF MASSACHUSETTS, TO WIT;

«^
BE

District Clerk's Office,
It remembered, that on the twenty eighth day of October, A. D. 1318, and in
the forty third
year of the Independence of the United States of America, Jaooh Big:e?ow, M. D. of the said dis...*•!,.. ^^-i-, .„ _.
Iritt, has dcjjosited in this oflice the title of r ^'^-^'
book t— -:~v.* ...i
vcrds following, viz,
<* Anierican Medical Botany,

being a collection of the native medicinal plants of the United States,
containing their botanical history and chemical analysis, and properties and uses in medicine,
diet
,

.

and the

^

.

,

Mith coloured engravings. By Jacob Bigelow, M. D. Rumford Professor and Lecturer on Materia Medica and Botany in HaiTard University. VoU II."
In conibi-mity to the Act of the Congress of the United States, entitled « An Act for tlie encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts and books, to the authors
and
propneton of such copies, dui'ing^ the times therein mentioned :" and also to an act entitled, « An
act supplemental' to an act entitled, an act for the encouragement of learning, by
securing the
copies ot maps, charts and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies
during the Qmes
therein menuoued ; and extending the benefits thereof to the arts
of designing,
engraving
aud
•»«"
s'
£»

b
etching histoncal
&
other prints.
arts,

and

JOH^

\\\

DAVIS,
'

\
I

Clerk of the District
of Mauachiisctts*

P


ADVERTISEMENT.
Upon

presenting to the public the portion of this work, whicli

completes one half of his labours,

Medical Botany

feels

tlie

author of the Americau

himself bound to offer some report of the

progress and prospects of his undertaking.

The

plan of this work was formed and announced at a time

when such a

subject

was wholly

novel,

tanical engravings, from the difficulty
cution,

were almost unknown in

and when coloured bo-

and expense of their exe-

this country.

It

was endeav-

oured that the plan should be such as in some degree to insure,

what both authors and
and permanent

culation

was

their friends should desire, extensive cirutility.

printed, and that the

the price

was

of plates, than

An

edition of a thousand copies

work might be

generally accessible^

fixed at a lower rate, in proportion to the

works of the kind have ever been placed

number

at in this

I

country

j

a rate which the probable sale of the whole edition

As permanent

could alone justify.

utility

was esteemed of more

importance than ephemera! success, the work has not been hurried in

any stage of

its

execution, even though

some temporary

/

advantages might have been obtained by

The

its

earlier appearance.

author has not willingly adopted the opinions of others in bot-

any or medicine without examination, and has thought no delay

in-

jurious which might lead to the establishment of truth or the detection of error.
his

He

own expeiience,

has been desirous, in adding the results of

tlmt the

book should have,

in

some degree

at


ADVERTISEMENT.

VI
least, the

lation

what

character of an original work, rather than of a Compi-

same time

at the

;

known on

is

that

it

should present a fair view of

the subjects of which

drawings, which were executed by himself, with

is

wholly new in

liis

this country,

cessfully attempted only

The

friends.

by the

and

is

figures of

made from

the plants have, in every instance, been

two or three presented by

The

treats.

it

tlie

first artists in

exception of

style of

one which

original

lias

engraving
been suc-

France,

^

r

It gives

him pleasure

to state, that the reception of the

work,

in all parts of the United States, has exceeded his anticipations,

that the subscription

is

already more than sufficient to defray

the expense of publishing, and that
it

its

regular increase renders

probable that the whole edition will be taken up at an early

period.

He
ments

avails himself of this occasion to return his acknowledgto those correspondents

who have

by the communication of specimens
sults

own researches and

of their

would express

this

remembrance

obligingly assisted

for the

work, and of the re-

experience.

to

him

Particularly he

Zacchbus Collins Esq,

of

Philadelphia, a gentleman whose active kindness has repeatedly
supplied his botanical necessities

;

and whose extensive erudition

has enabled him to afford counsel, which would not have been
souglit at

a

less respectable source.

To

Professor Ives of New
r

Haven, a zealous and
teria

intelligent cultivator of the

American Ma-

Medica, be would express the obligations derived from his

communications and correspondence.
get that

many

It

would be unjust to for-

medicinal plants of the Southern States, with ob-

servations on their properties, were furnished expressly for this

work, by the

late

Dr. James Macbride of Cliarleston, S. C. a


ADTERTISEMENT,

vil

physician and a botanist, whose premature death has terminated
a

career of honourable usefulness and of active, liberal and
prosecution of science.

gret a man,
ostentation,

who had

His friends cannot remember

efficient

witliout re-

the rare quality of being learned witliout

who was ambitious

and who sought rather

to

of usefulness

more than of fame,

be valuable to others than just to him-

self.

Medical

ny are
finished

a wings
;

the remaining

numbers

promptness and regularity, as
execution.

y

is

will be issued with as

much

consistent with their faithful


PREFACE
TO THE SECOND VOLUME.

As

frequent use

is

made

in these pages of

observations drawn from the. auxiliary sciences, as
f
I

affordinj^

some

plants,

may

it

light on the medicinal properties of

he proper to examine how Air

timony of this kind

is

tes-

entitled to receive credit in

our inquiries and examinations.

There can be no question,
eration

that the actual op-

upon the human

of medicines

gathered from positive experience,

systemj,

in the pres-

is,

ent state of our knowledge, the only criterion by

which we can pronounce, with universal certainty,
There are nevertheless
on their properties.
.

many

things to be leai'nt from chemical analysis,

sensible qualities,

may

affcrd us, in

affinity,

which

certainty,

and in

and botanical

some instances

most others presumptive evidence of the medicinal
characters

of vegetables.

in these respects

we
mony of properties

is

frequently so striking, that

can hardly resist the

2

The correspondence

belief, that

exists,

which,

if

an entire har-

we

are unable


^

PREFACE,

fully to

comprehend,

it is

rather owing to the im-

perfection of science, than to the
irregularity of
nature.

A few ilkistrations of

this

point, taken

from

general facts already ascertained,
will place the
suhject in a clearer light.

The chemical substances, known by the names
of Gum Mucus and Fcvcula, are
constantly emollient,

demulcent, and nutritious.

these qualities even

when

and poisonous vegetables,

They manifest

extracted from acrid

as in

Arum,

Calla,

and

Jatropha.

Sugar

is

nutritious

and demulcent.

When

subjected to a spontaneous chemical
change by
the vinous fermentation, it is
universally a strong
diffusible stimulus.

Flawed oils are emollient and
laxative.

Also

nutritious.
Volatile

lating, lieating,

ontrary are acrid

and antispasmodic

Tannin and the Gallic acid a
tiseptic and powerfully astringent
I

iformly

The

Acetous, Citric, Tartaric and similar
etable acids are refrigerant and
antiseptic.

Bitter Eootractive substances are
usually
Mesins, which are bitter and
acrid, are

monly

cathartic.

\

veg

PREFACE.

separated by Pelletier and Magen-

Enietirie, as

die, is

Xi

powerfully emetic.

Morphium, obtained by Serturner,

a very

is

strong narcotic.

The foregoing are some of ilie

examples, which

the present state of Chemistry allows us to ob-

serve of affinity between chemical and medicinal

With

characters.

found

to

be

a few exceptions they will be

strictly true.

Yet the analysis of vege-

tables is at present but imperfectly

extended investigation

is

known, and an

continually bringing

new

We can hardly expect that the

principles to light,

F

business of generalization should be attempted

with complete success, until the constituent
are better understood.

know, however,

is

it

From what we

facts

already

not chimerical to predict,

J*

that if the chemistry of vegetables were as perfectly

known

in all

its

parts, as in those >vhich

we

have detailed; their medicinal properties might
be inferred, with
that which

now

at least as great certainty, as

attends most inferences in the

conjectural science of medicine.

In regard

to the botanical affinities of plants,
I.

as affording evidence of their medicinal powers,

much

has been said and written.

man, Linnaeus, Hasselquist,

and

Petiver, Hoff-

recently

learned Professor Decandolle have bestowed

the

much


XU

PREFACE.

*

r

.

investigation on tins subject.

desideratum by

all,

and

as

It is

regarded as a

the consummation of

botanical science by many, that plants should be
so

arranged, as

that

their

assemblages should

agree, not only in external forms, but in internal

and operative powers. Certain general
agreements of this kind evidently prevail throughqucdities

out nature
so

many

;

yet they are so varied, and subject to

exceptions, that

them by general

it is difficult

to establish

scientific descriptions,

and when

they are rendered too minute they seem to lose

much
to

of their importance.

know the

It is perhaps as easy

properties of plants from their exter-

nal habit, as to understand the characters of

kind from their physiognomy.
rers

man-

Accurate obser-

know more than they can communicate the

means of knowing
rate are liable to

to others, yet the

be mistaken.

most accu-

Many vegetables

of the closest affinity and resemblance, even species of the same genus, differ wholly from each
other in

Cucumis,

Witness the species of
Convolvulus, and Solanum, some of

which are

salutary,

ous.

tlieir

effects.

and others highly

Nevertlieless there

ai-e

deleteri-

many general truths,

or at least general probabilities,

one would be influenced,

by which every
and which have so much

importance, that they will never be forgotten.

PHEFACE.

No

even

botanist,

if

Xiii

in danger of starving in a

wilderness, would indulge his hunger on a root op

taken from an unknown plant of the natural order Luridce, of the Multisiliquw, or the umfruit

On

belliferous aqiiatica.

the contrary, be would

not feel a moment's hesitation in regard

to

any of

the Gramina, the fruit of the Fomacew, and several

other natural families of plants, which are

known

—L

to

be uniformly innocent in their

effects.

r

The

sensible properties of plants afford another

human

clue to their influence on the
is true,

It

that observations derived from this source

will not serve
tions.

system.

They

us in forming very minute distincare,

however, almost always adequate

in vegetable productions, to enable us to distin-

guish what
is

is

innocent and salubrious, from what

noxious and virulent.

The

pend wholly upon the powers
their food,

them.

and

of sense in selecting

this reliance does not often betray

In regard

to

happens, that what
ic,

brute creation de-

mankind

is

it

almost uniformly

sweet, delicious, or aromat-

proves nutritive or salutary

;

while on the oth-

w

er hand, vegetable poisons are nauseous, acrid,

and disgusting.

It has

would have been a
have made
sal

it

it

sort of treachery in nature to

otherwise.

dissemination

been observed, that

Considering the univer-

of poisonous plants, and

tlic

XVI

PREFACE.

number of them, which frequent

human

habitations, this

the vicinity

of"

arrangement of Provi-

dence, by making ungrateful what

is

dangerous,

has furnished almost the only safeguard from
harm, to the inexperienced and unwary.
Tliese remarks have been offered on account

of an impression which

many

persons entertain,

that collateral evidences of the characters of plants
are worthless and undeserving of attention. Even
if the

community were composed

exclusively of

physicians, such an opinion could not be wholly

Every one may be

correct.

called on to

form

hasty decisions on subjects where his experience

and where an acquaintance with auxiliary facts might lead him to a correct issue.
It
is not only curious and instructive to perceive
the
is deficient,

hai-monies of nature, but to every inquirer

her works

it

must be

no where be more
study, than in a

practically useful.

useful, or

new

among
It

can

more deserving of

country, where the face of

nature presents an ungathered harvest, and where
every clue to useful discovery derives importance

from

its

influence and tendency.


9

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M

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m

AMERICAN

MEDICAL BOTANY
PYROLA UMBELLATA.
Winter

PLATE

Greeii.

T
is

XJJCL

most beautiful of the species of Pyrola

extensively diffused throughout the northern

hemisphere.

It inhabits all latitudes in the Unit-

J'

ed

States,

and extends across the continent

to the

r

shores of the Pacific ocean.
forests of Siberia,

It

is

also

found in the

and in several of the northern

and temperate countries of Europe.
It only
grows in shady woods, where it is protected from
the sun, and nourished by the peculiar

soil

formed

from the decomposition of leaves and wood. The
most common appellations, by which it is known
in the

United

sewa.

what

States, are

It flowers in
later than

family.

Winter green and Pipsis^

June and

July, being

some-

most of the other species of

its


;

PYROIiA UMBELLATA.

16

By Pursh and some

other

American

botanists,

and one other have been separated

this species

from the genus Pyrola,

to constitute a

by the name of Cliimaphila.
distinction, however,

cient to render

timately stand

it
;

As

new family

the grounds of

between them are not

suffi-

certain that this genus will ul-

I have preferred retaining the
F

original Linnseau

* It

is

established

name.*

somewhat remarkable, that the genus Chimaphila was
upon characters, which

intended to comprehends

it is

first

liardlj exist in either of the plants

The

principal grounds of distinction,

suggested by Michaux and adopted hy Pursh, seem to consist in a
sessile stigma^

and anthers opening by a suhbivalve foramen.

Now

the stigma is not sessile, since that ternj implies the absence of a style,

and the anthers do not open by any suhbivalve foramen,
from the

rest, but

cies of Pyrola.

by two tubular pores, precisely as

Mr.

Nuttall, in his interesting

differing

in the other spe-

work on North Ameri-

can genera, has amended the character of Chimaphila, by bringing
into view the calyx, filaments, &c. while he has added to the characteristics of Pyrola,
sule.

a downy connexion of the valves of the cap-

In the calyx, however, the two species of Chimaphila are at

different extremes

from each other

j

one of them having a

calyx, the leaves overlaying each other at base
five

;

five

leaved

the other having a

toothed calyx only, while the remaining species of Pyrola, being

five parted,

come between them.

I have not been able to find the

tomentum spoken of by Mr. Nuttall,

in all the spiked species,

and par-

ticularly in P. secunda.

If the genus Pyrola were ever to be dismembered,
into at least four distinct genera, as follows
1.

Style declinedj stigma annulate.

P. rotundifolia, P. asarifolia, &c.

it

should be


WINTER

^

The genus Pyrola

17

GREElSr.

belongs ^o the class

candria^ and order Monogynia.

It ranks

J>e.

among

Style straight^ stigma peltate,

2.

P. secunda, P. uniflora,
3. Style incrassatedy

Sc^

calyx Jive leaved^

P. maculata.
4. Style

immersedy calyx Jive toothed^

P. umbellata*

we go

If

filaments,

farther

and

species, since

we
it is

have nearly as

well

known

that

fruit,

with their various

many genera as there are now
many of the most important spe-

shall

cific distinctions in this

genus are taken from the fructification.

these accounts there can be no doubt that the genus Pjrola

better remain entire.

liad

view the direction and form of the

and the other parts of flower and

combinations;

On

talie into

natural genera

we

In habit

h

it

certainly one of the

most

All the species are humble evergreens,

possess.

growing in woods, with creeping

roots,

ascending stems, and nodding

flowers. All of them have their leaves in irregular whorls, flower with

reversed anthers, and retain their style until the fruit
inflorescence, one
spike^d.

ally in

The

solitary,

is

One

whorl or aggregate.

;

In

ripe.

two somewhat corymbed, and

leaves of P. secunda, umbellata

two or more whorls

is

the rest

and maculata are usu-

those of most others in one radical

species

is

said to be leafless.

w

In the dissections accompanying the figure of P. umbellata

I

have

endeavoured to represent the evident gradation of the style from the
-species in

same

which

plate are

The

it is

longest, to that in which

added some of the

Pyrola. "

Linnsean society,

is

;

Edward Smith,

the learned

•Slrt.

to the establishment of that

it,

di-

nor any character but a ditference in

which the other species of Pyrola shew to

ford admirable specific, but no generic distinctions.

3

and stamens.

Genus Chimaphila, there being surely no

versity of habit to support

the length of the style

In the

from Rees' Cyclopcflia,

We can by no means assent

able writer's fFnrsh'sJ

shortest.

varieties of the calyx

following remark of Sir James

president of the

it is

af-


18

PYROLA UMBELLATA.

the Bicomies of Linnteus and the Ericce of Jus

The

generic character

Caly^c

as follows.

is

mostly jive parted ; petals jive

anthers inverted,

;

*

opening ly

tivo

tuhular pores

capsule Jive celled,

;

Jive valve d.

The

species umhellata has

leaves

its

wedge

shaped and toothed, jlowers somewhat umhelled,
aalyaojive toothed, and style immersed.

more minute

Its

description is as follows

:

Root woody, creeping, sending up stems
various

distances.

The stems

at

ascending,

are

somewhat angular, and marked with the

scars of

r

the former leaves

The

leaves

grow

in irregular

whorls, of which there are from one to four.

They

are evergreen, coriaceous, on very short petiolei

wedge shaped, subacute,
ing,

the lower

grow

flowers

surface

in a small

serrate,

?

smooth, shin-

somewhat

paler.

The

corymb, on nodding pe-

duncles, which are furnished with linear bractcs

about

tlicir

middle.

Calyx of

cute teeth or segments,
corolla.

Petals

five,

five

much

roundish suba-

shorter than the

roundish, concave, spreading,

cream coloured, with a tinge of purple at base.
Stamens ten. Filaments sigmoid, the lower half
fleshy, ti'iungular, dilated,
at tlic

edges

;

and

slightly

the upper half filiform.

pubescent

Anthers

.

WINTER GREEN,
two

celled,

tubular

each

orifice,

19

opening bj a short, round

cell

which points downward

hut upward in the flower.

in the

Pollen white.

?

bud;

Germ

roundish, depressed, furrowed, obscurely five lobed,

with a funnel shaped cavitj at top.

Stjle straiglit,

half as long as the germ, inversely conical, insert-

ed in the cavity of the germ, and concealed by the
stigma.

Stigma large

peltate, convex, moist, oh-

scurely five rayed. Capsules erect, depressed, five
celled, five valved, the partitions
V

from the middle

of the valves. Seeds linear, chaffy, very numerous

and minute.
J

This plant,

like the other species of Pyrola, ig
u

Tery
its
tlie

difficult to cultivate,

native soil; although

when
it

transplanted from

tlirives luxuriantly in

shade and rich mould of the forests where

it

origi n ate s

The

leaves of Pyrola umbellata,

communicate

to the

mouth a

of both sweet and bitter.

when chewed,

taste

which partakes

The

stalk

and roots

possess the same taste, combined with a moderate
V

degree of pungency.

A Dissertation

"De

Pyrola

umbellata," published at Gottingen, by Dr. AVolf,
in 1817, contains an elaborate cliemical
tion of this plant.

As

the result of his

examina-

trials, this

author concludes, that 100 parts of Pyrola umbellata contain about 18 of a bitter extractive priuci-


PYROLA UMBELLATA

20

portioi
slight
a
tannin,
of
1.38
2.04 of resin,

p,

of

Eruni,

salts
earthy
and
fibrina
of
rest
the
and

Tlie resin

ether and

is

in
soluhle
readily
hrownish,
adhesive,

alkalis, burning;

with flame and a res-

cinder

white
a
dour, and leavinsc
&

From my own
;

trials

the quantity of resin in

A

plant appears to he very small.

saturated

«F

tincture of a

deep hrown colour does not give a

precipitate on the

only after

first

addition of water.

some time standing, and

from the evaporation of

tlie

partly perhaps

alcohol, that a turhidIt is prob.

ness hegins to appear in the solution.
able that spirit

a better

is

It is

menstruum than water

for the soluble portions of this plant, although the
latter is capable of extracting the greater part of
its virtue.

The Pyrola
as a

umbellata, though scarcejiy

known

medicine until within a few years past, has

at the present

day acquired a reputation of con-

siderable extent in the treatment of various diseases.

Its popular celebrity

nated in

its

seems

to

have origi-

application to the treatment of fever

and rheumatism

;

but the attention of physicians

has been chiefly drawn towards

its

use in other

T

complaints.

The

instances in which this plant

has received favourable testimonies on medical
authority, of

its

successful use, both in

America


WINTER GREEN.

31

and Europe, are principally the following,
a palliative in strangury and nephritis.
diuretic in dropsy.

3.

As

As
As a

i.

2.

an external stimulant,

susceptible of useful application to vai^ous cases.

In the

first

to attention

of these cases, the Pyrola

employed

in this country have

in the
is

same

Some

and confidence.

entitled

practitioners

with advantage

which the Arbutus Uva ursi

cases, in

recommended*.

it

is

German writer
number of cases of

Dr. Wolf, the

lately cited, has reported a

ischuria and dysuria, arising from various causes,
in

which the Pyrola, given in

the most evident

relief,

variety of remedies

infusion,

and took precedence of a

which had been

method of administering

it

was

In

In one case

His

little syi-up,

the cases he has detailed,

all

small as the dose was,
time.

tried.

to give a table

spoonful of a strong infusion, with a

every hour.

produced

it

its

gave relief in a very short
efiect

was so

distinctly

r
J

marked, that the disease returned whenever the
medicine was omitted and was removed on re-

suming

its

use.

A

tonic operation attended

its

other effects, so that the appetite was improved

and digestion promoted during the period of

its

employment.
* See Dr. Mitclieirs Inaugural Dissertation.
^^

Plilladelplna, 1803.

PYROLA UMBELLATA.

SS^
_r"

m

The

seem

lata,

W,

Pyrola umbel-

diuretic properties of the
to

have been

fully illustrated

by Dr.

Somerville in a paper on this vegetable, pub-

London Medico-

lished in the 5th volume of the
m

The

Chirurgical transactions.

by

this physician afford

presented

facts

satisfactory evidence of

the power of this medicine to promote the renal
4-

excretion, and to afford relief to patients afflicted

with dropsy in

its

The most

various forms.

tinguished case presented by him,

is

James Craig, the British governour

dis-

that of Sir
in Canada,

^

'-who
in

was labouring under a general dropsy, which

its

progress had assumed the forms of hydro-

which was com-

thorax, anasarca and ascites, and

bined with different organic diseases, especially of
the liver. After having tried with

little

or tempora-

ry success, almost every variety of diuretic and cathartic

medicines, and submitted twice to the

operation of tapping, the patient had recourse to
a strong infusion of the Pyrola, in the quantity of a

pint every t^venty four hours.

Although the case

was altogether an unpromising one, yet the plant
gave

relief,

not only in the

sequent instances of
urinal discharge,

and

its

first,

use.

at the

but in the sub-

It increased the

same time produced

an augmentation of strength and an invigorated
appetite.

-


ITINTER GREEN^.

!83

Several other cases of dropsy are detailed ia

Dr. Somerville's paper, in which the Pjrola was
administered by himself and by other practioners

with decided advantage.

Dr. Satterly and Dr.

Marcet are among those who have added
observations to the testimonies in

its

their

favour.

Dr.

Somerville found his patients to remark, that an
agreeable sensation was perceived in the stomach

soon after taking the Pyrola, and that this was
w

followed in some instances by an extraordinary
increase of appetite.

He

considers

it

having

as

in this respect a great advantage over other diuretics,

none of which are agreeable

and most of them very

to the

offensive to

it.

stomach,

He

fur-

*

ther states, that no circumstance had occurred

within his
bid

its

own experience

or information, to for-

use in any form, or to limit the dose.

Dr. Wolf has given one veiy satisfactory case
of the utility of our plant in ascites.

found

it

to alleviate

He

also

altogether the ardor urinse

I

attendant on gonorrhea.

Such are the most important

facts

which

to

my

knowledge have been published respecting the
internal use of the Pyrola umbellata.

I have

administered this plant on various occasions, and
attended to
of dropsical

mode of operation. In a number
cases, when first given, it made a dis-

its

''-

ti^


PYROLA UMBELLATA.

34f

tinct

and evident impression on the

municating an increased

disease,

com-

activity to the absorbents,

followed by a great augmentation of the excretion

The

from the kidnies.

benefit,

me

however, with

has been in most instances temporary, and

it

was

found better to omit the medicine for a time and
r

to

resume

it

afresh, than to continue it until the

System had become insensible to
After suspending

it

for a

distinct operation took

its

stimulus.

week or two, the same

place on returning to

its
4

use, as

had been manifested

in the first instance.

It proved in almost every instance, a very acceptable medicine to tbe patient,

both .or

its

and was preferred

sensible qualities and

its effects

on the

stomach, to other diuretics and alteratives which

had been prescribed.

The Pyrola
as

has been considerably employed

an external application in tumours and ulcers

of various descriptions.
in consequence of

its efficacy

It first acquired notice

some newspaper

in the cure of cancer.

attestations of

Those persons

who know how seldom genuine cancers occur

in

comparison with reputed ones, will be more ready
to allow

it

the chai-acter of curing ulcerous, than

really cancerous affections.

edly

many

ulcers,

Tliere are undoubt-

and those frequently of a malig-

nant kind, which are benefitted by antiseptic


S5

WINTER GREEN.
Stimulants

;

and

to

such the Pyrola

may be

useful.

But of its efficacy in real cancer we requue
more evidence than is at present possessed, before

we

I

ascribe to

it

the power of controlling so for-

-^

midable a malady.
Dr. Miller of Franklin informs

me

that he has

with
plant
this
of
cataplasm
and
decoction
a
used

apparent success in various chronic indurated
It acts as a topical stimulant, and
swellings.

when long continued, not unfrequently vesicates.
inseveral
in
have
standing
long
of
Tumours
stances disappeared under

its

use.

BOTANICAL REFERENCES.
Pyrola umbellata,

Gmelix, Flora SiUrka.

Ltn". Sp. pi.

Roth, Flora Germanica.—BoU Mag.
Mierkanaf

i.

fruticans, ParkIxNSOx,

251.—Pyrola

JMsf. plant, iu.

500.—J. Baijhin,
PuESH, i. 300.—Ntjttaix,

778.—Michaux, Flora

t.

536

Genera,

—

i.

TJieairam,

Chimaphila corymbosa,

274.

MEDICAL REFERENCES.
MedicoSomerville,
Dmcrfafion.—
Mitchell, hiaugural
Chirurgical Transactions, vol.

v.—Wolf,

PLATE XXI
Pyrola uinbeliata.

Fig.

1.

Fig.

2. Pistil of Pyrola rotundifolia.

Fig.

3. Pistil of

Pyrola secunda.

Fig.

A. Pistil of

Pyrola unifiora.

Fig.

5. Pistil of

Pyrola maculata.

4;

Dissertatia Inausuralis.


26

PYROLA UMBELLATA.
r

Fig.

nfPyrola

Fig.

I

iinibellata.

of the same, skewing the length of

Fig.

of

Fig.

of

culata
ified

of

Ditto ofr, rotundifolia

Stamen magnrfied of

1

Ditto ofF, maculafa.

^

£


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