®t|f S- 1. Ml ffiibrarg Nnrtlj OlaroUna g>tatp HmtJpraitg This book was presented by Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Littleton & "5-. •'J M A ]\ U A L, OF THE * OF THE ^BPSi^gsi §j®^®esi CONTAINING A DESCRIPTION OF FIFTY-TWO MEDICAL PLANTS, WITH THEIR NAMES, QUALITIES, PROPERTIES, HISTORY, &.C, WITH REMARKS ON NEARLY 500 SUBSTITUTES AND FIFTY-TWO COLOURED PLATES. By Professor RAFINESQUE, A. M. PHILADELPHIA 1841. TABLE OF CONTENTS. Botanical Piinciples, - - - - 1 Chemical Principles, - - - - 6 Medical Principles, - - - - 8 Medical Properties, - - - - 11 Table of Properties, - - - - 13 Explanation of Botanical Terms, - - - 22 Agrimony, - - - - - 34 ' American Senna, - - , - - 93 Alum Root, - - - - - 1841 American Hemlock, - - - - 107 Bitter Dogbane, - . 49 Bear-berry, - - - - - 57 Bitterwort, ----- 61 Broadleaf Asarabacca, - - - - 70 Barberry Bush, - . - . 83 Black Cohosh, - - - - - 85 Blue Cohosh, - . - . 97 Buttonwood Shrub, - - .100 Bind Weed, ----- 123 Bonesett, ----- 174 Blooming Spurge, ^ - . 181 Black Henbane, - - - - 255 Camomile (wild), - - - - - 44 ' Common Hemlock, - - - - 118 Columbo, - - - - - 196 Creeping Pollom, - - - - 202 Common Hops, ----- 246 1 CONTENTS. Dogwood, - - - - - 131 Ditany, - - - - - - 136 - Dropwort, - - . - 224 Eye wort, - - - - - 251 Fleabane, - - - - - 162 Goldthread - - - - - 127 Gentian, . 208 Leatherwood, • - - - - 158 Liverwort, ----- 238 Maidenhair, - - - - - 30 Mealy Starwort, - - - . 37 Pleurisy Root, - - - - - 74 Pennyroyal, - - - - - 231 Persimon Tree, - - - - - 153 Sweet Flag, - . * - . - 25 Sorrel Tree, - - - - - 41 Spikenard, ----- 43 Stone Root, - - - - - 1 1 Sweet Fern, - - - - - 115 Strawberry, - - - - - 189 Spotted Cranesbill, - - - - 215 - Sneezewort, - . - - 235 Three-leaf Arum, . - . _ 66 Thorn Apple, - - - - - 146 Winter Shield, - - . - 90 Worm-seed Goose Foot, - - - - 103 White Avens, - - . - 220 Witch Hazel, - - - - - 227 Yellow Indigo, - . 76 Yellow Lady's Slipper, - .- - . 140 Yellow Snake Leaf, - - - - 168 IIVTRODUCTIOX. 1. The Science of Botany was at all times intimately connected with medical knowledge. 2. Several ancient nations, such as the Gre- cians, Romans, Hindoos, Chinese, &c. consi- dered Medical Botany as equivalent to both botanical and medical knowledge. 3. Medicine was then, and is still among rude nations, nothing more than the application of an empirical knowledge of vegetable sub- stances. 4. Thence the usual vulgar division of Plants, into the five great Classes of Aliments, Sim- ples, Poisons, Flowers and Weeds, or ali- mentary, medical, poisonous^ ornamental and useless plants. 5. At the revival of learning in Europe, this notion being general, the first works on Botany, were of couise mere sketches of Medical Bo- tany, and comments on Grecian or Roman wri- ters. 6. When Tournefort and LinnsBus, about a century ago, became botanical reformers, and made Botany a separate Science, their efforts and improvements were resisted by those who at all times contend against useful innovations. II INTRODUCTION. 7. Linnseus in his Materia Metlica, gave a niodel of systematical Medical Botany, equally concise, perspicuous and accurate; but desti- tute of the help of figures. 8. This model was followed by Schoepf in his Materia Medica of North x\merica, the first general work on our medical plants, pub- lished in Germany and in Latin towards 1787* This small work of Schoepf has never been translated nor republished in America^ although highly deserving of it. 9. When America was settled, the native tribes were in possession of many valuable ve- getable remedies, discovered by long experi- ence, the knowledge of which they gradually imparted to their neighbours. 10. This knowledge partly adopted even as far as Europe, and partly rejected by medical skepticks, became scattered through our country in the hands of country practitioners, Herba- lists, Empirics and Botanists. 11. Schoepf collected his materials from them, and noticed about three hundred and sixty plants as medical; but he did not go every where, nor exhaust the subject, since nearly double that number are actually in common use in different States of the Union. ±2. Since the United States have become an independent and flourishing nation, much has been done to teach and spread correct medical knowledge. 13. The establishment of Medical Schools, Chairs of Materia Medica, of Medical and Systematical Botany, Medical and Botanic Gardens, Infirmaries, Hospitals, have largely INTRODUCTION. Ill contributed to impart Medical and Botanical knowledge, through the professional class. 14. This purpose has been aided by nume- rous publications of learned Physicians and Botanists, Medical Works, Pamphlets and Journals, Pharmacopeias, Dispensatories, In- augural Theses, &c. 15. Notwithstanding all these means, it is a positive and deplorable fact, that but few medi- cal practitioners, apply themselves to the Study of Botany, and therefore are deprived of the aid of comparative Medical Botany. 16. It is not less certain, but still more de- plorable that beyond the immediate sphere of medical knowledge, the majority of the people are yet in prey to medical credulity, supersti- tion and delusions, in which they are confirmed by the repeated failures of Theorists, and the occasional success of Empirical Rivals. 17. Even in large cities and in the centre of medical light, Empirics are thriving, because they avail themselves of the resources aflbrded by active plants, often neglected or unknown to the regular practitioners. 18. It is not perhaps so well known that there are in this Age and in the United States, Ame- rican Marabouts who like the Marabouts of the wilds of Africa, attempt in some remote placesj to cure diseases by charms, prayers, blowing, spitting, &c. 19. It is therefore needful to spread still further correct medical knowledge; and the state of medical science is such in the United States, as to require a greater diffusion of the : IV INTRODUCTION, acquired knowledge, aided by freedom of en- quiry, liberal views, and mutual forbearance. 20, The practice of medicine is now exer- cised in the United States by three sets of men or Classes of Practitioners. 1. The Rationals, S. the Theorists, and 3. the Empirics. SI. The Rational medical men are liberal and modest, learned or well informed, neither intolerant nor deceitful, and ready to learn or impart information. They comprise the Im- provers, Kclectics, and Exjperiinentalists, 22, The Improvers study nature and the hu- man frame, write their observations, and im- prove medical knowledge. 23. The Eclectics are those who select and adopt in practice, whatever is found most bene- ficial, and who change their prescriptions ac- cording to emergencies, circumstances and ac- quired knowledge. 24. While the Experimentalists are those who are directed by experience and experi- ments, observations, dissections and facts. 25, But the Theorists are often illiberal, intolerant, proud and conceited ; they follow a peculiar theory and mode of practice, with little deviation, employing but few vegetable reme- dies, and enlisting under the banner of a teacher or sect. 2Q, They are divided into many Sects, al- ways at war among themselves and their rivals such are the Brownists, Galenists, JMesme^ Tiansj SJceptickSf Chemicalists, CalomelistSf Entomists, &c. 27, The Empirics are commonly illiterate, ignorant, deceitful and reserved : they follow a INTRODUCTION. Y secret or absurd mode of practice, or deal in patent remedies. 28. They include the Herbalists, vulgarly called Indian or Root Doctors, and the Steam Doctors, who follow the old practice of the na- tives, the Qiiacks or dealers in Nostrums, the Patent Doctors, the Prescrihers of receipts, the Marabouts, &c. S9. All these classes need instruction on the natural knowledge of medical substances, and it ought to be afforded to them, that they may become properly acquainted with those which they employ or may avail themselves of. 30. Medical Sciences have lately been widely enlarged, by borrowing the help of all the Na- tural Sciences; and the enlightened physicians begin to avail themselves of all the materials they can command, rendering all the Sciences subservient or auxiliaries to their pursuits. 31. By Botany, the great majority of medi- cal Substances are ascertained and become available: while the study of natural aflRnities enables to detect; and compare botanical and medical Equivalents. 32. Medical Botany teaching to know and appreciate the greatest number of articles em- ployed in Materia Medica, is become indispen- sable to the enlightened physician. 83. Vegetable Chemistry analyses vegetable substances, discovers their active principles, re- lative medical value, and ascertains the equi- valent or incompatible substances. 34«. Even Pharmacy is become a science, by the aid of Botany and Chemistry. Druggists and Pbarmacians who sell vegetable Articles or A o VI INTRODUCTION. Drugs ought to be botanically acquainted with them, so as to distinguish the genuine kinds^ and detect the frauds or blunders of the collec- tors and herbalists. 3.^. Works on Medical Botany are of two kinds, with or without figures. This last kind includes all the Materia Medicas, Dispensa- tories, Pharmacologies, Pharmacopeias, &c. which try to convey the knowledge of medical substances by mere descriptions. S6. The other kind, and the most useful, em- ploy, Iconography or figures, besides descrip- tive references, to give a complete knowledge of the officinal plants: such are the Herhals, Medical Botanies, Medical Floras, &c. 37. A Critical List