BOTH the simple sulphat and the oxy-sulphat of iron strike a deep violet colour with the infusion of the root in water.

HEUCHERA Americana*. This is the Heuchera Cortusa of Michaux†, who has unnecessarily changed many of the long-received names of American plants. This Heuchera is one of the articles in the Materia Medica of our Indians. They apply the powdered root to wounds, and ulcers, and cancers.

Of the Pyrola umbellata I have made no mention in the first part of this work. It is a very common NorthAmerican plant, and is sometimes called Ground-Holly, but is much better known (at least in New-Jersey and in Pennsylvania) by the name of Pippsissevat, which is one of its Indian appellations. In the sexual system of Linnæus, it belongs to the same class and order (Decandria monogynia) as the Uva Ursi. It also belongs to the same natural assemblage of plants as the last mentioned vegetable: viz. the order Bicornes of Linnæus, and the order Erica of Mr. de Jussieu. The two plants are, unquestionably, nearly allied to each other in respect to their botanical affinity, as well as in their medical properties.

THE Pyrola is considerably astringent, and the quantity of astringency appears to be nearly the same in the leaves and in the stems. Hitherto, it has not greatly excited the attention of physicians. But I think it is worthy of their notice. A respectable physician, in EastJersey, informed me, that he had employed this plant,

* See Part First. Page 9.

Flora Boreali-Americana, &c. Tom. i. p. 171.

Perhaps, Phipsesawa.

with manifest advantage, in the same cases in which Uva Ursi has been found so useful. This looks very probable: for it would seem, from many facts, that the lithontriptic powers of the Uva Ursi are, in no small degree, owing to the astringent quality of this plant: and, perhaps, upon the whole (as an eminent practitioner* "has observed), we shall find it no better than other veg"etable astringents; some of which have long been used "by the country people, in gravelly complaints, and with very great advantage: though hitherto unnoticed by "the regular practitioners †."

THE Pyrola, as I am informed by my pupil Dr. John S. Mitchell, has been used, with good effect, in some cases of intermittents. In one case, its diuretic operation was evident. "The urine discharged was almost "black. It appeared as if a few drops of a solution of "the sulphat of iron had been put into an astringent "infusion." This was a solitary occurrence, and one which I am unable to explain.

FOR more ample information concerning this vegetable, I beg leave to refer the reader to Dr. Mitchell's Inaugural Essay on the Arbutus Uva Ursi, and the Pyrola umbellata and maculata of Linnæus §.

Prefixed

* Dr. Withering. See A Systematic Arrangement of British Plants, &c. Vol. II. p. 391. London: 1801.

I cannot forbear mentioning in this place (at the risk, perhaps, of exposing myself to the ridicule of the mere theorist), that the nuclei, or kernels, of the common'American Hazlenut (Corylus Americana) have been found very useful in affording relief to several persons labouring under nephritic, and perhaps calculous affections. I mention this fact on the respectable authority of my friend, Dr. Frederick Kuhn, of Lancaster, in Pennsylvania. Do these kernels act solely by virtue of their astringent quality?

Letter to me, dated Sunbury, August 8th, 1803.
Philadelphia: 1803.

to this dissertation, there is a good figure of the Pyrola umbellata.

THE Myrica cerifera, or Candle-berry Myrtle, deserves to be mentioned in this place. This is a common shrub in many of the maritime parts of the United-States, as in New-Jersey, Delaware, &c. This is, unquestionably, a very powerful astringent, and as such has been employed by the country-practitioners of the United-States. A decoction of the bark of the root is employed, sometimes alone, and sometimes in combination with the bark of the root of Persimmon, or with the bark of the BlackAlder, which I am afterwards to mention. The simple or combined decoction of the Myrica has been used, with much advantage, in dropsical affections succeeding to intermittents, particularly in the peninsula of Delaware, where dropsies, in various shapes, are, perhaps, more common than in any other part of North-America, within the same latitudes. The root of the Myrica has likewise been found useful in the treatment of hæmorrhages from the uterus, &c. It was remarked by an old physician, who had much experience in the use of this vegetable, that it often acted as a gentle purgative.

SEVERAL varieties of the Myrica cerifera are described by the botanists. That of which I have been speaking is distinguished by the circumstances of its having broader leaves, and larger berries, than the others. It is the variety marked ß and named media, in the Flora BorealiAmericana of Michaux.t I cannot, however, assert, that as an astringent, this is to be preferred to the other varieties.

Dr. Matthew Wilson.

† Tom. 11. p. 228.

THE Myrica Gale, called Sweet-Willow, or DutchMyrtle, and also American Bog-Gale, is likewise a native of the United-States. But this, to which useful qualities are ascribed, by Linnæus and other writers, seems less worthy of our notice than the above-mentioned species.

THE Prinos verticillatus* of Linnæus is a very common shrub in many parts of the United-States. It is especially common in the maritime parts of the union, at least as far south as North-Carolina; and is generally found to grow in the greatest perfection in swamps, or marshy places. It is the Prinos Gronovii of Michaux. To the inhabitants of New-Jersey and Pennsylvania, it is well known by the name of Black-Alder. If I do not mistake, however, the same appellation has been bestowed upon another American shrub, the Ilex? Canadensis of Michaux. Care must be taken to distinguish our Prinos from the Swamp-Alder, or Candle-Alder, which is the Betula serrulata of Aiton.

THE bark of the Prinos verticillatus is manifestly astringent. It is, likewise, considerably bitter, and along with these properties there is united a degree of pungency. The berries, which are of a fine red colour, greatly partake of the bitter quality, and if infused in wine or brandy, might be employed, with advantage, in many of those cases in which bitters, in a vinous or spirituous menstruum, are exhibited by physicians. But it is especially the bark of the shrub that seems entitled to our attention.

THIS has long been a popular remedy in different parts of the United-States. But as yet, it has been

*Marshall calls this Virginian Winter-Berry.

greatly neglected by the regular physicians, only a few of whom (so far as I can learn) have been in the habit of employing it. This bark possesses the common properties of the vegetable astringent and tonic medicines; and, accordingly, it has been used as a substitute for the Peruvian bark, in intermittents, and in other diseases. It is employed both in substance and in decoction, most commonly, however, in the latter shape. It is supposed to be especially useful in cases of great debility unaccompanied with fever; as a corroborant in anasarcous and other dropsies, and as a tonic in cases of incipient sphacelus, or gangrene. In this last case, it is, unquestionably, a medicine of great efficacy. It is both given internally, and employed externally as a wash. On many occasions, it appears to be more useful than the Peruvian bark. It ought to have a place in the shops, and in the Pharmacopoeia of this country, WHEN SUCH A DESIDE

RATUM SHALL BE SUPPLIED.

IN making decoctions or infusions, for the different purposes which I have mentioned, the berries are often mixed with the bark.

THE Orobanche Virginiana, or Virginian Broom-rape, is a very common plant in many parts of North-America. Michaux says that it grows from Canada to Georgia. It is generally, if not always, found under the shade of the American Beach-tree (Fagus ferruginea)*. Hence one of its names, in Pennsylvania, viz. "Beach-drops." But it is much more generally known by the name of Cancer-roott.

*Michaux entirely restricts its habitation to the root of the Beach: radice Fagi nec aliæ plantæ." Flora, &c. Tom. II. p. 26.

† See Elements of Botany, &c. Part Third. p. 80.

"In