Colonial North America: Countway Library of Medicine

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Materia Medica

Tonics

months, when he was perfectly cured, perhaps it may be said that Iron was the chief agent, but it is certain that neither would have acted so well alone. I have long been in the habit of giving gentian in powder. And I think it little inferior to colombo, the dose has generally been from ℈fs [½ scruple] to Ʒi [1 dram].

Gentiana Centaurium. This is the centaury so much valued by the British physicians, it found in some of the United States, in New Jersey the stalks and leaves are employed the blossoms are insipid, it is destitute of smell. Alcohol and water extract its virtue. Professor Murray prefers it to the Gentiana Lutea. Dr Cullen remarks as an antseptic it is not inferior to the other species, both have been used in Jaundice, which sometimes depends on the torpor of the Alimentary Canal. And in such cases I have no doubt may be used with success. America possesses several species not known in the Old World which would be worth attending to, in the glades of Pennsylvania I have seen a low kind of Centaury with narrow leaves, which I know to be a pure and valuable bitter, the plant usually named the Centaury is not the Gent. Cent. but the Cheronia Angularis. Frasera Verticiltata.

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Materia Medica

Tonics

This plant was first discovered by myself, it is a valuable root and deserves attention, it is of a large size a pure simple bitter without astringency. In 1797 this plant was discovered in the state of New York. It has since been found in many other states it grows plentifully in Kentucky where it is called Colombo, which it verry much resembles, it is verry valuable if obtained about the time the leaves begin to dry and fall.

Cheronia angularis. It resembles the centaury verry much but may be easily known from it by the bitterness of the centaury residing in the leaves, that of Cheronia in the blossoms, it is verry common in the United States, and known in families by the name of Centaury. Quassia. We are acquainted with three species of quassia the Amara, Simarouba, and Polygama. Quassia Amara. This derives its name from its discoverer Quassy a Negro Doctor of Surriname who kept it a secret untill he was rewarded by a pupil of Linneus, its discoverer used it in intermittant fevers with success, the quassia has sometimes been used in gout. In inflamitory gout I am of opinion it is verry injurious, the Quassia Amara is a tree of a moderate size. In dispepsia and debility of the intestines