LARYCIS. Purging Agaric. 42. LYTHRUM SALICARIA, Loose Strife. 43. PUNICA GRANATUM. Pomegranate. 44. ANCHUSA TINCTORIA. Alkanet Root. 45. DRA

CENA DRACO. Dragon's Blood. 46. PTEROCARPUS DRACO. CALAMUS ROTANG. CALAMUS DRACO. Dragon's Blood. 47. PRUNUS SPINOSA. Wild Plum. 48. VINCA MINOR AND V. MAJOR. Periwinkle. 49. AJUGA REPTANS. Common Bugle. 50. SANGUISORBA OFFICINALIS. 51. STACHYS PALUSTRIS. Marsh Nettle. 52. SISYMBRIUM SOPHIA. Flixweed. 53. PRUNELLA VULGARIS. Healall. 54. SCOLOPENDRIUM OFFICINARUM. 55. CEANOTHUS AMERICANUS. New Jersey Tea. 56. MESPILUS OXYACANTHA. 57. SEMPERVIVUM MAJUS. Greater Houseleek. 58. GNAPHALIUM GERMANICUM. 59. VACCINIUM MYRTILLUS. Myrtle-leafed Vaccinium. 60. MYRTUS COMMUNIS. Common Myrtle. 61. GALIUM LUTEUM. Yellow Cleavers. 62. GORDONIA LASIANTHUS. 63. RHODODENDRON MAXIMUM. The Great Rhododendron.

CLASS VI.-UTERINE AGENTS,

In the order of their value.

THIS group embraces only such agents as exert special influences upon the uterus in its morbid or unusual states. These influences, however, are not always direct. Nos. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, for example, are indirectly emmenagogue, in most cases, by tonic and other effects upon other organs than the uterus. They may con

tribute more or less by direct sympathy of the uterus with the impressions which they exert upon the alimentary mucous tissue; or, in other cases they prove emmenagogue by surmounting some abdominal disease upon which the uterine affection depends. (See Institutes of Medicine, p. 628, 629, § 892; p. 683–689, § 905; p. 617, 618, § 8924, k, l.)

1. SECALE CORNUTUM. Ergot. Obtained from the glumes of the secale cereale.

Dose, of fresh Powder, j., at intervals of half an hour, for two or three doses, if necessary.

Infusion best. . Bruised Ergot, 3 j.; Boiling Water, 3 iv. Digest for half an hour; strain.-Dose, onethird, or one-half, repeated as above. Also, Decoction, which is about the same. Boil for 10 minutes.

(a.) Tincture of Ergot.-Dose, 3 j. to 3 ij. Inferior. (b.) Oil of Ergot.-Dose, 20 to 50 drops.

(c.) Lever's Ethereal Solution of Ergot.-Dose, 25 to 60 drops, on sugar. This is only a solution of Oil of Ergot, either of which are energetic and very safe.

Employed in the present class, to promote uterine contraction. (See p. 328, No. 17.)

Authors have not agreed as to the cause or nature of spurred rye; but it is now known to be a disease of the grain occasioned by a parasitical fungus. For a long time a popular means in Europe of accelerating parturition. Common in Germany, Italy, and France, a century and half ago. Poisonous to some animals, as flies, leeches, dogs, cats, but scarcely so, or not at all, to others. "It requires ounces to destroy rabbits and pigeons." "Twenty sheep ate nine pounds daily for

four weeks without any ill effects. Thirty cows took together twenty-seven pounds daily, for three months, with impunity."-Pereira. These differences in the effects of substances on different animals are very common. (See p. 296.) Pereira “made a guinea-pig swallow a fluid drachm of the Oil of Ergot. The only obvious effect was copious and frequent diuresis."-PEREIRA'S Mat. Med. The injections into the veins are worthy only of the humoral pathology.

The remarkable peculiarity of ergot consists in its action upon the gravid uterus, especially when nature is employed in the process of parturition. It then acts energetically in increasing the parturient efforts; and this effect appears to be common to all animals, so far as tried. It is less ascertained how far it is capable of affecting the uterus in its unimpregnated state, or to what extent, if any, it is capable of exciting abortion, or of instituting the process of labor. There is much reason for believing, however, that the uterine influence of Ergot is greatly limited to that condition of the womb in which the process of labor, or of abortion, has begun spontaneously, or from other causes.

When natural labor has commenced, the action of ergot upon the uterus is manifested in ten or twenty minutes, in an increase and frequency of the pains, and in their prolongation; this influence often reaching even to the expulsion of the placenta. But here it commonly ceases, which shows the probability that ergot is not much disposed to act upon the uterus as an excitant to its muscular action unless nature is instituting the same process. Nevertheless, it is not improbable that, after the expulsion of the placenta, contractions may be reproduced, especially if the remedy have not been pre

viously exhibited, and the uterus remain imperfectly contracted. In the event of unusual hemorrhage, therefore, under these circumstances, ergot should be one of our means for arresting it. (See Alum and Ice, Index.) It is also recommended with great confidence, by some, in hemorrhage of the unimpregnated uterus, and denied by others, as by Prescott and Villeneuve.

Ergot should never be administered till a full dilatation of the os uteri has taken place. An earlier exhibition endangers the uterus, the perinæum, and the life of the child, as well as that of the mother. Nor should it ever be exhibited where unaided nature may go through with the process of labor in her ordinary way. Economy of time is no apology for an unnecessary interference; and this is one of the occasions in which it were well that the objectors to bloodletting in inflammations and fevers, would extend their protest to the abuse of ergot. Pereira says, that "ergot has been charged with causing the death of the child, but the charge has been repelled," etc. Our eminent Dr. Hosack remarks that, "as it regards the child, ergot may with almost equal truth be denominated the pulvis ad mortem, as the pulvis ad partum, where nature is alone unequal to the task," etc. This is quoted by Pereira; but it was manifestly intended by Dr. Hosack only as a strong expression of an honest conviction, that ergot is not unfrequently fatal to the child, especially when prematurely employed. If properly used, it is an invaluable agent, rarely failing of its specific effects, and may, therefore, be often instrumental in saving mother and child.

An interesting statement, and practically important if correctly founded, has been lately made to me by Dr.

James T. Jameson, of Chenango County, New York, which evinces a more or less permanent influence of ergot upon the organic state of the uterus. Dr. J. in his former connection with the Manchester (Eng.) Lying-in Infirmary, observed and recorded several cases of parturition in which the uterine action was feeble and the labors protracted where ergot had been administered to the same individuals at a preceding accouchment. If such effects be exerted, it becomes more obvious that this agent should be employed only where nature may clearly justify the interposition; but, when once employed that its subsequent use will be probably more necessary than when the uterus has not been subjected to the influence of ergot. In its physiological aspect, it goes to illustrate the nature of the organic properties, the action of foreign causes upon those properties, the modifications which they may undergo in consequence, and the law of Vital Habit as set forth in the Author's Institutes of Medicine. (See Institutes, p. 363-370, 535-568; p. 44 49, § 71-80; p. 620-628, § 8923.)

The honor of introducing this remarkable substance into the materia medica is due to our distinguished fellow-citizen, John Stearns, M.D., in 1807.

Ergot has been also employed to effect the expulsion of uterine hydatids, polypi, etc., and in leucorrhoea.

2. CANTHARIS VESICATORIA. Cantharides.

As an emmenagogue.-Dose, of Powder, 1 or 2 grains, in pill. The tincture should always be preferred.Dose, 15 drops, morning and evening, increasing one drop at each dose, till slight strangury is produced,

It rarely happens that menstruation is effected till strangury is produced, when the medicine should be