Asarum canadense

Volume I — Special Symptomatology

( Wild-Ginger.)

Botanical Description. — Asarum canadense, likewise called Indian ginger, Colt's foot, or Canada Snakeroot, has a close resemblance to the A. Europaeum. The root stalk is long, creeping, fleshy, pointed, yellowish, and furnished with root leaves of a similar color. The stem is very short, dividing before it emerges from the ground, into two long, round, hairy leaf-stalks, each of which bears a broad half formed leaf, are covered with soft short hairs on both sides, light green and shining above, veined and pale, or bluish, below. The flower is solitary, growing from the fork of the stem, upon a pendulous, hairy peduncle, being often concealed by the loose soil, or decayed vegetable matter, around it. The calyx is very wooly, consisting of three broad concave sharp-pointed segments, of a brownish, dull purple or greenish color, on the inside and at top and bottom, depending on the amount of light which the plant enjoys, and terminated by ii long, ^''spreading;, inflected point, with reflected sides. Corolla wanting. Filaments twelve, unequal in length, inserted upon the ovary, and rise with a slender point above the anthers, which are attached to their sides just below the extremity. Ovary inferior, somewhat hexagonal; style conical, striated and parted at top into six recurved, radiating stigmas. Capsule six-celled, stiff, and crowded with the adhering calyx. The Asarum c. is a native of the United States, growing in woods and shady places, and flowering from April to July. The whole plant has a grateful, aromatic odor, and bitter, but agreeably aromatic taste. The roots are in long, contorted pieces, varying in thickness from a line to four or five inches in diameter, brownish and wrinkled externally, internally hard, brittle and whitish. It contains a light-colored, pungent, and fragrant essential oil, a reddish, bitter, resinous matter, starch, gum, fatty matter, chlorophyll, and salts of potassa, lime and iron.

Officinal Preparations. — Tincture by maceration from fresh root with alcohol ; triturations of the root.

(no provings.)

Analogues. — Asarum Europaeum, Senecio, Tanacetum, Sabina, Arnica, Senega.

Head.

° Headache from suppressed nasal catarrh.

Nose.

Watery, irritating discharge from the nose.

Generative Organs.

Frequent and profuse menses. Miscarriage in the early months. (?) Relieves excessive pain in labor.

(Resembles the Asarum Europaeum in its general action.)

Volume II — Special Therapeutics

This plant only differs from the Asarum Europceum in degree. Its effects are similar to the foreign root, but less irritating and potent. The same qualities, however, have been ascribed to both. The indigenous species has the reputation of being an “emmenagogue and abortivant ” in domestic practice. In Europe and England the foreign species has the same reputation, and is even credited with the power of causing miscarriage.

That the foreign plant possesses an irritant action on the uterus is proved by its pathogenesis and the testimony of the old physicians. Our species may have the same action, but in a minor degree. I have never used it but once, and then in a case of pain in sacrum following miscarriage. It seemed to relieve. It was prescribed as a substitute for the A. Europseum.

Theoretically I should place it as an analogue of such new remedies as Senecio and Trillium.