Colonial North America: Countway Library of Medicine

74

Materia Medica

Astringents

Vis-cum or Miseltoe. This is a parasitic plant. It grows indifferently on several trees, and its properties are the same wherever it is found, it does not partake of any of the properties of the tree, to which it attaches itself, this singular fact has given rise to the question how is it nourished, I answer through the vessels of the tree upon which it grows, for colouring matter has been made to pass through the vessels of the tree upon which it grows into misseltoe. Its a powerfull astringent and considerably bitter. Dr Cullen says it seems to have but verry little strength. Collath recommends it in Epilepsy and some other convulsive disorders, but owns it sometimes failed. Sir John Hoyer used it in quartan fevers from ℥fs [½ ounce] to ℥i [1 ounce] at a dose. Gum Kino. This is brought from Africa we know but little of its Batanical History. It appears to be the production of several different plants on the coast or Gorgia, it is a verry usefull and powerfull astringent, is soluble in the saliva, and has no smell it is dissolved by water and alcohol, the latter extracts most of its virtue. I think it preferable to most other astringents, it sometimes purges, we need not be particular as verry large quantities may be taken without injury, it was