of a persistent bitter taste, and faint odor. It does not form an insoluble compound with tannin; soluble in water, alcohol and ether. The former is removed by means of tannin; neutral, not distinctly crystalline, yellow, hygroscopic powder, soluble in alcohol, ether and warm water. Decomposed by boiling HCl into Chiratogenin and ophelic acid. No glucose formed by this decomposition.

SABBATIA.

S. angularis.

American Centaury.

Annual or biennial plant, fibrous root, and a sharply quadrangular, erect stem, smooth, simple below, opposite axillary branches above, about eighteen inches high. The leaves are from one-half to one inch long, ovate, inclined to be oblong, entire, recurved on the stem. The flowers are numerous, growing on the ends of the branches. The corolla is bright red. Collected during flowering No odor; strong, bitter taste; devoid of astringency. Bears a close resemblance to Erythroa Centaurium, or European centaury, and contains analogous constituents, Erythro-centaurin.

All species of Mentha are united by intermediate forms. The two above differ, in M. piperita having a purplish stem, leaves stalked, ovate and sharply toothed; flowers collected in a cyme at the top to form a terminal, compact, obtuse spike. In M. viridis, the stem is green; the leaves are sessile, and lanceolate; flowers arranged in a sharp pointed spike, the lower, some distance from each other. Both are perennials, and about two feet high. The taste, is a good characteristic of the mints. M. crispus employed in Europe, possesses similar properties. Collected in August. The pure oil of spearmint is distilled only in this country; the so-called oil of spearmint of Europe is obtained from M. crispus, but both are very similar. This is of a pale yellowish-green when fresh, but becomes red and finally brown with age, sp. gr. 0.914, freely soluble in alcohol, 85 per cent. Contains a considerable amount of stearoptene (isomeric with carvol) to which the odor is due. Oil of peppermint is yielded to the extent of 1 per cent. Considerable difficulty is found in distilling it, as Erigeron and other odorous

plants grow with it, and are often distilled indiscriminately. It is a pale yellow or greenish liquid, sp. gr. 0.84 to 0.92. Strong, agreeable odor, increasing with age; powerful, aromatic taste, followed by a sensation of cold when air is drawn into the mouth. The odor is due to Menthol (Peppermint Camphor). Chinese Oil of Peppermint consists of this. It is crystallent, resembling sulphate of magnesia, and often adulterated with it Adulterations of the oil, with Ol. Terebinth., detected by the pure oil being soluble in its own weight of 85 per cent. alcohol, forming a perfectly clear solution with three times its weight, and turbid with a larger per cent.; if Ol. Terebinth. is present it will not yield a clear solution with three times its weight or in any proportion. Nitric acid turns the pure oil greenish-blue. Anhydrous chloral produces a green or red color when brought in contact with the pure oil.

MELISSA.

M. officinalis (Var. Citrus adoris, Maisch).

Balm.

Perennial, about eighteen inches high, erect, quadrangular stems, usually branched towards the base. The leaves characterize this plant. They are broad-ovate, crenate and pubescent, the lower on long footstalks, the upper nearly sessile. The flowers are white or yellowish, upon short peduncles, and in axillary whorls, surrounding only half the stem. When fresh, of a fragrant lemon-like odor, diminished on drying; harsh, slightly aromatic taste. Collected in July. Contains .04 to .3 per cent. of a yellowish or reddishyellow vol. oil, of a strong odor; sp. gr. about .91; soluble in 5 parts alcohol. Also contains tannin.

HEDEOMA.

H. Pulegioides.

American Pennyroyal.

Annual plant, from six to twelve inches high; stem pubescent, decumbent and very much branched near the base. The leaves are petiolate, opposite, narrow, lanceolate, remotely serrate, rough or pubescent, and prominently veined on their under surface, dotted with oil glands above and below; less than an inch in length. The flowers are small, and of a pale blue color, arranged in a series of dense globose whorls, extending considerable distance up the stem. Characterized by its odor and taste. Oil of pennyroyal is of a light yellow color, with the odor and taste of the herb. Sp. gr. 0.948.

CATARIA.

Nepeta Cataria.

Catnip.

Perennial, sharply quadrangular, hoary stems, about two feet high. Leaves with foot-stalks, cordate at base, dentate, lower surface woolly, greenish above. The flowers are whitish, or slightly purple, and are collected in glomules at the apex of the stem, teeth of the calyx sharp. Peculiar odor; pungent, bitter, camphorous Vol. Oil and tannin are its constituents.

taste.

SCUTELLARIA.

S. lateriflora.

Scullcap.

Perennial, stems quadrangular, smooth, erect, and much branched, about eighteen inches high. Leaves ovate, dentate, acute, subcordate on the stem, opposite, on long petioles. Flowers small, pale blue, and disposed in long, lateral, leafy racemes. The tube of the corolla is elongated, the upper lip concave and entire, the lower three-lobed. No distinct taste or odor.

MARRUBIUM.

M. vulgare.

Horehound.

Perennial, stems numerous, quadrangular, erect, woolly, about fourteen inches high. Leaves circular, crenate, white and woolly, wrinkled, veined, on long foot-stalks, in pairs. The flowers are white, and in crowded axillary whorls. The calyx is tubular, and divided at the margin into ten narrow divisions, which are hooked at the end. The corolla is also tubular, upper lip bifid, under reflected and trifid, middle division broad and slightly scalloped ; strong, rather agreeable odor, lost on drying; durable, bitter taste. Contains Marrubin, a small amount of vol. oil, resin and tannin.

MONARDA.

M. punctata.

Horsemint.

Perennial, stems downy, whitish, branching, obtusely angled, and about eighteen inches high. Leaves oblong-lanceolate, serrate, smooth, punctate. Characterized by the large number of lanceolate, green colored bracts, with purple blotches, and being longer than the cymes. The flowers are arranged in numerous cymols; corolla yellow with purple blotches. Aromatic odor; pungent, bitterish taste. Contains a reddish-amber vol. oil, of a fragrant odor, and a warm, very pungent taste. Crystallizes at a low temperature, and is analogous to thymol.

ORIGANUM.

O. vulgare.

Mountain Mint.
Majoram.

Perennial, stems erect, purplish, downy, quadrangular, threeforked; about eighteen inches high. Leaves opposite; ovate, entire, hairy, deep yellowish-green. Flowers reddish; disposed in roundish, panicled spikes. The plant is characterized by the red color of its top. Agreeable, aromatic odor; warm, pungent taste. Yields 1 to 5 per cent. of a vol. oil of a reddish tinge; odor of the plant, hot, acrid taste; sp. gr. 0.87. Turbid solution with 16 parts. alcohol. This oil is superseded in commerce by the oil of thyme.

LYCOPUS.

L. Virginicus.

Bugle Weed.

Perennial, creeping root. Stem erect, simple, nearly quadrangular, about fourteen inches high. Leaves opposite, sessile, broadlanceolate, attenuated and entire at both ends, serrulate in the middle, purplish, somewhat rough, and crowded with glandular dots on their under surface. Flowers minute, and in small axillary whorls; white corolla. Peculiar odor; nauseous, slightly bitter taste. L. Europæus, which is often collected and sold for L. Virginicus, may be distinguished by its acutely quadrangular stems, narrow, lanceolate leaves, lower, somewhat pinnatifid, and its more crowded flowers. Contains Lycopin?

THYMUS.

T. vulgaris.

Thyme.

Low undershrub, procumbent at the base, with ovate linear, revolute leaves, and flowers in a whorled spike. Aromatic odor; camphorous taste. The vol. oil only is officinal; this has been ascertained to be the source of the so-called Ol. Origanum. Yields about 1 per cent. After one distillation it is of a reddish-brown color, and is known as red oil. By re-distillation it becomes colorless; then known as white oil. The former is what is found in commerce; this is of a somewhat disagreeable odor; sp. gr. about .905, but probably varies, as the oil is a complex body, containing Thymol or Thymic Acid (analogous in properties and composition to creasote and carbolic acid) and Thymene. The oil is soluble in 1 part of alcohol.

The precise species from which this is derived is not exactly known, attributed to A. Cina (U. S. P.) Persia. A. panciflora, Russia. A. Ramosa, N. W. Africa. A. Stechmannianæ, S. E. Europe. Levant wormseed of commerce, consist of minute flower-heads, about a line in length, and nearly half a line in breadth (requires 90 to weigh one grain), fusiform, blunt at each end, pale greenish-brown, smooth; resembling seed in appearance, but consisting of fifteen to eighteen small, imbricated scales, with a green midrib; the lower scales are much shorter than the upper, thus giving the lower part of the flower a shorter appearance; the odor resides in the green midrib of the scales; these scales enclose four or five tubular · florets, so minute that they can hardly be distinguished. Flowerheads, not round or hairy. Strong odor (due to small quantity of vol. oil). Bitter, camphoraceous taste. Santonica yields about 1 per cent of vol. oil, of a characteristic smell and taste, but devoid of anthelmintic properties; it consists of Cinnæbene-Camphor. The 'substance to which the action of wormseed is due, is Santonin (CHO); this constitutes about 2 per cent. of the drug, and is easily extracted by milk of lime. It occurs in colorless, rectangular tabular crystals, which, when exposed, assume a yellow hue (but the change in color does not effect its virtues). Insoluble in cold water or weak acid solutions, soluble in 250 pts. boiling water, 43 pts. cold, and 3 boiling alcohol, and in 75 pts. ether. Scarcely any taste alone, very bitter when combined with an alkali. Santonin is the anhydride of Santonic Acid.