cent. solution in alcohol, of which the dose is myss-x. It is best to begin with a small dose and gradually increase.

POTASSIUM NITRITE and SODIUM NITRITE have recently been introduced into practice as similar in effects and uses to amyl nitrite and nitroglycerin. Dr. Matthew Hay (Practitioner, Mar., 1883) believes the sodium salt to be as active and reliable in angina pectoris as either of the above drugs, and prefers it, because when used in medicinal doses, it does not cause the headache, giddiness or even partial collapse, which are sometimes seen after their use. Dose, gr. iij-v or more in aqueous

solution.

GELSEMIUM.

Gelsemium sempervirens, Yellow or Carolina Jasmine (Nat. Ord. Loganiaceae), is a beautiful climbing plant of our southern States, with a twining, smooth, and shining stem, perennial, dark-green leaves, and beautiful, very fragrant flowers, of a deep-yellow colour. The RHIZOME and ROOTLETS are officinal. The true root is hard and woody, slightly undulated in outline, sparingly branched, externally of a pale-brown colour, smooth, and furnished with a thin scurfy cuticle, slightly cracked longitudinally. The stem is rougher externally, and is distinguished from the root by a small central cavity, representing the pith. The stem should be rejected. The root has a bitter and pleasant flavour, and an odour somewhat between those of senega and green tea. It contains an alkaloid, termed gelsemine, combined with an acid called gelseminic (identical with æsculin), a volatile oil, an acrid resin, etc. The alkaloid is a powerful poison, an amount of gelsemium estimated to contain one-sixth of a grain of gelsemine having proved fatal to an adult woman, Effects and Uses.-Gelsemium, in moderate doses, causes languor, dizziness, disordered vision and frontal pain, but hardly affects the circulation. Large doses diminish the pulse and pressure by direct action on the heart, reduce the temperature of the body, lessen respiration, and dilate the pupils, with little or no nauseating or purgative effect. It paralyzes first the motor and then the sensory ganglia. In overdoses, it has rapidly produced death, with great muscular relaxation, want

of coordination in the movements, double vision, dilatation of the pupils, failure of the pulse and respiration, coldness of the surface, and finally unconsciousness preceding death. In animals, convulsions of spinal origin occur. Death is due to paralysis of respiration. It has been used in fevers, inflammations, essential spasmodic affections, as tetanus, and as an hypnotic in delirium tremens and other forms of morbid wakefulness, and as an anodyne in odontalgia and trifacial neuralgia. As a calmative in acute mania it has been given in full doses. Bartholow rcommends gelsemium in acute inflammations of the lungs and pleura, especially in pneumonia and pleurisy. He gives the fluid extract mov-x every two hours "to maintain a constant effect within the limits of safety." The tincture of gelsemium is the form which has been heretofore employed, in the dose of myv-xx; but the fluid extract should be preferred, dose, mv-x; f3j of this has proved fatal.

WOORARA.

This solution, termed also woorari, woorali, and curare, has long been known as a powerful poison prepared by the Indians. in South America, and of late years has been employed as a medicine. Its source is unsettled, but it is generally considered to be an extract from the bark of Strychnos toxifera and other species of Strychnos. It is brought from the banks of the Orinoco, and occurs in the form of dark-brown or grayish lumps or powder, of an intensely bitter taste, and, when triturated, of a powerful odour. An alkaloid termed curarine (CHN) has been extracted from woorara. It is said to exist as a sulphate (Sachs).

Effects and Uses.-Woorara, topically applied, is an irritant. It is ranked with the motor depressants, and is considered to destroy life by more or less rapid paralysis of the respiratory muscles. A peculiarity of its action is that it is comparatively innocuous when taken by the stomach, being either not absorbed at all in this viscus, or so slowly as to allow of its elimination by the kidneys before dangerous accumulation in the blood. Hence, for therapeutic purposes, it must be employed either

endermically to a blistered surface or by hypodermic injection. Woorara kills the intra-muscular motor nerve-endings without affecting the muscular irritability, and destroys the reflex function of the spinal cord: in other words, the paralysis induced by it is peripheral and not centric: eventually, however, the paralyzing action of woorara extends to the nerve-trunks and centres. The cerebrum is only secondarily involved. Artificial respiration retards the poisonous effects of the drug. Woorara stimulates and then paralyzes the accelerator cardiac nerves. Other effects of woorara are elevation of temperature, increased nasal, salivary and intestinal secretions, and diabetic urine (in animals). The elimination of curarine has been distinctly shown to take place, in part, by the kidneys.

Woorara, or curarine, is only applicable to the treatment of those affections which therapeutically require motor depressants to antagonize the disease process. Among the most prominent of these are tetanus and hydrophobia. In tetanus good results have been obtained from its use in large doses, while from hydrophobia there are two reported cases of recovery. It has also been employed in chorea and epilepsy. The dose of woorara is from to of a grain. Of curarine, from gr. 200 to 100, hypodermically. Caution must be enjoined, as the samples vary.

VIBURNUM.

Viburnum is the BARK of Viburnum prunifolium, commonly known as the Sloe or Black Haw (Nat. Ord. Caprifoliaceae), a small tree growing in thickets in the southern and western States, with opposite, oval, obovate, sharply serrulate leaves about two inches long, and short slightly marginal petioles. It has small white flowers in terminal cymes, appearing in May;. and small blue-black edible drupes containing a flattish smooth putamen. The bark is in thin pieces or quills of a purplishbrown colour, with scattered warts and minute black dots; collected from the old wood it is a grayish-brown, the thin. corky layer easily removed from the green layer; the inner surface is whitish and smooth; it breaks with a short fracture; is without smell, and of a bitter, astringent taste (Stillé and

Maisch; Maisch). It contains valerianic acid, a brown bitter resin, a greenish-yellow bitter principle (viburnin), tannin, etc.

Effects and Uses.-The physiological effects of viburnum are not understood. It probably acts as a sedative to the spinal centres, especially those governing the uterine functions; whether it influences the circulation or the blood supply to the uterus, or what action, if any, it has on the sympathetic ganglionic system are questions for the future to determine. It is said that no disagreeable after-effects attend its use. Viburnum is highly recommended as a sedative in cases of threatened abortion, whether accidental or due to the action of drugs, and is said to be especially serviceable where a tendency to abortion exists from habit. In these cases 3j may be given every two or three hours as long as the abortion is threatening. It is also recommended to allay the severity of after-pains, and is one of the numerous remedies which have been used for the relief of the vomiting of pregnancy. It has also been used with success in menorrhagia and metrorrhagia, depending on anæmia, debility or other systemic cause, and in menorrhagia accompanied with nervous symptoms appearing at the climacteric period. It has been given in dysmenorrhoea with profuse discharge, and may be combined with other remedies in the treatment of neuralgic dysmenorrhoea. The fluid extract, is officinal and may be given in the dose of f3ss-j.

GRINDELIA.

Grindelia is the LEAVES and FLOWERING TOPS of the Grindelia robusta (Nat. Ord. Compositæ), an herbaceous perennial plant growing to the height of one or two feet, indigenous to the Pacific coast. It resembles the common sunflower in its general appearance, and contains volatile oil and resin (Maisch).

Effects and Uses.-In large doses, grindelia has a decided hypnotic effect, during which the pupils are dilated and reflex action, motion, and sensation are depressed. The cardiac action is slowed by grindelia, as are also the respiratory movements. It stimulates the gastro-intestinal mucous membrane, promoting the appetite and digestion, and is eliminated by the kidneys and broncho-pulmonary mucous membrane (Bartholow). It irritates

the kidneys and increases the secretion of urine. Grindelia is very highly recommended in the treatment of asthma, especially in the uncomplicated spasmodic form, but has also proved useful when complicated with bronchitis, etc. In many cases of hay asthma and hay fever it has proved of much benefit. It is useful in pertussis, and is also recommended in acute and chronic bronchitis and pneumonia. It is administered advantageously in chronic pyelitis and chronic cystitis, acting on the mucous membrane as it is eliminated (Bartholow). Dr. H. M. Fiske recommends its internal and local use in iritis. It has been used as an injection in vaginitis and as a local application in poisoning by rhus toxicodendron, the latter with varying results. The fluid extract is officinal, and may be given in doses of myx-f3j.

SUMBUL.

Sumbul is the ROOT of the Ferula Sumbul (Nat. Ord. Umbellifera), a perennial plant, growing to the height of eight feet, with large triangular, tripinnate radical leaves and a few small cauline leaves. It is a native of Turkestan and eastern Siberia. The root reaches us through Russia, and is met with in transverse slices from one to five inches in diameter and three-quarters to two inches thick. It is light, spongy, annulated, with a thin brownish bark and a whitish interior, with numerous dots of brown-yellow resin and irregular, easily separated fibres; of a strong musk-like odour and a bitter balsamic taste. The root of the Dorema ammoniacum is sometimes flavoured with sumbul, but may be distinguished from it by being firmer, denser, and of a yellow or reddish tint (Stillé and Maisch). Sumbul root contains a volatile oil, a soft resin, angelic and valerianic acids (Maisch).

Effects and Uses.-The physiological effects of sumbul are not accurately known. It probably acts as a sedative to the brain and spinal cord. It was originally introduced into Russia as a remedy for cholera, and is still used there in asthenic dysentery and diarrhoea. In England it has been used in dysmenorrhea, hysteria, epilepsy, and various allied nervous disorders. Mr. Murawieff recommends it in chronic bronchitis in