American Materia Medica, Therapeutics and Pharmacognosy

every two hours. To the animals who contract the disease, a teaspoonful
of the seeds is given three or four times daily with satisfactory results.
He also gives it in the painful menstruation of women with good results,
giving fifteen bruised seeds every few minutes until the pain is relieved,
then farther apart.
As an ointment it has been long applied to inflamed swellings and to
glandular inflammations and in painful hemorrhoids. It is useful in
mastitis, orchitis, parotitis, in rheumatic inflammations, and as a
fomentation in these latter conditions, and in pleuritis and peritonitis,
using caution not to obtain too marked cerebral effects.
In muscular tremblings it is indicated, especially if of functional or reflex
origin. In the vertigo and unsteadiness from chronic indigestion or
disordered stomach from hyperacidity and in headache from this cause it
is the remedy.
In spasmodic or paroxysmal cough, as whooping cough, and in the violent
paroxysms of acute bronchial cough, it is a soothing remedy, as it acts
without suppressing secretion as actively as belladonna.
Because of its antispasmodic influence upon spasmodic asthma, it has
come into general use as an agent in that disease, used principally as an
inhalant. The dried leaves are burned and the fumes are inhaled and
relief is immediate. The dried root in coarse powder as well as the
powdered leaves may be smoked in a common tobacco pipe.
This use of the agent produces excessive expectoration, and also marked
nervous phenomena, such as vertigo, nausea, determination of blood to
the brain and stupor. In plethoric patients these induced symptoms are
sometimes violent and even dangerous. It is sometimes burned in
conjunction with potassium nitrate, to enhance its effects.
STAPHYSAGRIA. Delphinum staphysagria.
Synonym—Stavesacre.
CONSTITUENTS—
Delphinum, Delphinoidine, Delphisine, Staphysagrine, fixed oil,
volatile oil, malic acid, mucilage.
Ellingwood’s American Materia Medica, Therapeutics and Pharmacognosy - Page 168