ers it as possessing a peculiar and almost specific quality of acting upon the organs of respiration, promoting suppressed expectoration, and relieving the breathing of pleuritic patients in the most advanced stage of the disease.

Dr. Chapman, Professor of medicine in Philadelphia, informs us that his experience with this medicine is sufficient to enable him to speak with confidence of its powers. As a diaphoretic he thinks it is distinguished by great certainty and permanency of operation, and has this estimable property, that it produces its effects without increasing much the force of the circulation, raising the temperature of the surface, or creating inquietude and restlessness. On these accounts it is well suited to excite perspiration in the forming states of most of the inflammatory diseases of winter, and is not less useful in the same cases at a more advanced period, after the reduction of action by bleeding, &c. The common notion of its having a peculiar efficacy in pleurisy, he is inclined to think is not without foundation. Certain it is, says he, that it very much relieves the oppres sion of the chest in recent catarrh, and is unquestionably an expectorant in the protracted pneumonies.

As far as my own observation with this plant extends, I am persuaded of its usefulness in various complaints. It appears to exert a mild tonic effect, as well as a stimulant power on the excretories. Like other vegetable bitters, if given in large quantities, especially in infusion and decoction, it operates on the alimentary canal, though its efficacy in this respect is not sufficient to entitle it to rank among active cathartics. I am satisfied of its utility as an expectorant medicine, and have seen no inconsiderable benefit arise from its use as a palliative in phthisis pulmonalis. Among other instances may be cited that of a young physician in this town, who died two years since of pulmonary consumption. He made great use of the decoction of this root, and persevered in it a long time from choice, finding that it facilitated expectoration and relieved the dyspnoea and pain in the chest, more than any other medicine.

The best mode of administering the Asclepias is in decoction or in substance. A teacup full of the strong decoction, or from twenty to thirty grains of the powder, may be given in pulmonary complaints several times in a day. In most cases after the inflammatory diathesis is in some degree subsided, it may be freely repeated as long as it agrees with the stomach and bowels.

BOTANICAL BEFERENCES.

Asclepias tuberosa, LIN. Sp. pl.-PURSH, i. 183.-MICHAUX, i. 117.-ELLIOTT, Car. i. 325.-Asclepias decumbens, a variety, LIN. PURSH, &c.-Apocynum Novæ Angliæ hirsutum radice tuberosa, floribus aurantiacis, HERMAN, Hort. 646. t. 647.—DшLENIUS, Elth. 35, t. 30, f. 34.

MEDICAL REFERENCES.

B. S. BARTON, Collections, 48.-THACHER, Disp. 154.CHAPMAN, Therapeutics and Mat. Med. i. 346.

PLATE XXVI.

Fig. 1. Asclepias tuberosa.

Fig. 2. A flower.

Fig. 3. A flower dissected, showing the mass of anthers, and one nectary with its horn.

Fig. 4. Magnified section of the mass of anthers, showing the situation of the pistils inside, &c. A pair of pollen masses

is drawn out at the top.

Fig. 5. Pistils magnified, and calyx.