Ranunculacea.

HELLEBORUS ORIENTALIS.

BEAR'S-FOOT HELLEBORE.

Class XIII. POLYANDRIA. Order III. POLYGYNIA.

Gen. Char. Calyx, wanting. Corolla, six-petalled. Stamens, six. Pistils, three. Capsules, three, many-sided.

Spe. Char. Raceme, more than decomposed. Corollas, erect.

THE root is small, but beset with an innumerable number of slender dark-colored fibres: the stem rises to the height of two or three feet; near the bottom it is round, strong, firm, naked, and marked with alternate cicatrices, the vestiges of the former leaves; at the top it divides and subdivides into branches, producing many flowers, and is garnished with scaly leaves or bractea; the leaves are numerous, and stand upon long footstalks, surrounding the middle of the stem; they are divided, like the Helleborus niger, into simple leaves, which are usually eight or nine in number, long, narrow, lanceolated, serrated, and of a dark green color; the scaly leaves, placed at the ramifications of the flower stem, are smooth, trifid, alternate, and often purplish; but those near the flowers are oval and pointed; the flowers are numerous, terminal, pendent, of a roundish shape, and stand upon peduncles, forming a sort of umbel; the petals are six, oval, concave, persistent, of a pale green pink color, and their margins sometimes tinged with purple; the stamens are about the length of the petals; the anthers are white; the germens three, hairy, and shaped similarly to those of the Helleborus niger. This plant is said to be a native of Eng

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land, where it was first discovered, but is found growing wild in the northern parts of the United States and the Canadas.

Medical Properties and Uses. The Helleborus niger, though constantly used in medicine since the time of Hippocrates, was the only species of Hellebore known in the Materia Medica of the pharmacopæias, till the late introduction of this plant by the London College, probably upon the authority of Dr. Bisset, who recommends the leaves as possessing extraordinary anthelminthic powers. The smell of the recent plant is extremely fœtid, and the taste is bitter and remarkably acrid, insomuch that when chewed it excoriates the mouth and fauces; it usually operates as a carthartic, but sometimes as an emetic, and, in large doses, proves highly deleterious. The leaves are the only part noticed by the London College, which have been long domestically employed in that country, mostly for their vermifuge effects; and are thus spoken of by Gerard: "The leaves of the Bear's-foot Hellebore is by far the most powerful vermifuge for long round worms of any I have yet experienced. The anthelminthic virtue of this plant is well known to some of the lower classes of England, who generally give it to their children when they suspect them to have worms. The decoction of the green leaves, taken in quantities of about a drachm, or fifteen grains of the dried leaves taken in powder, is the usual dose administered to children from four to seven years of age: a full or sufficient dose generally proves more or less emetic, and operates as a cathartic. It is usually repeated on two, and sometimes three successive mornings. The second dose proves more serviceable than the first, and never fails to expel round worms by stool, should they be lodged in the alimentary tube."

I have had an opportunity of witnessing the effects of this medicine in two cases, where it was repeated three times, proving successful in both, by expelling worms. An eminent physician, late from Germany, informs me, that this is their great remedy for

worms. He says: "The juice of the green leaves of the Bear'sfoot, made into a sirup with coarse sugar, is the most valuable vermifuge I have used against worms in the course of my practice. Before pressing out the juice, I moisten the bruised leaves, which are a little succulent, with some vinegar, which is a corrector of this medicine, and prevents it from inducing great sickness, or much vomiting. Of this sirup I give one teaspoonful at bed-time, and one or two in the morning, on two or three successive days, to children from two to six years of age, increasing or diminishing the dose a little, according to the strength of the patient." If this dose does not sufficiently open the bowels, some vegetable cathartic medicine may be used, in order to facilitate its operation.

This plant is also highly spoken of, as being useful in the treatment of asthmatic and hypochondriacal disorders: for these complaints it should be administered in the form of pills, prepared from the extract, of about five grains each: from one to two pills may be given at a dose. The infusion is prepared by adding one ounce of the dried leaves to one pint of diluted alcohol. After it has stood ten or twelve days, express and filter, when it is ready for use. Neither of the above preparations are generally kept by the druggists at the present time, as other remedies of equal value have been discovered, possessing no deleterious qualities, which, of course, would render them far more preferable for general use.