American Materia Medica, Therapeutics and Pharmacognosy

the course of cough if there be great secretion the influence is very
desirable but if there is but little secretion it makes the cough very tight.
Foreign authorities have written considerable in the last five years on the
action of this agent in the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis claiming
that it has a directly toxic action upon the tubercle bacilli. They believe
that a pure alkaloid of inula will exercise a more positive influence than
creosote, or guaiacol preparations. Von Unruh experimented with inula
and echinacea hypodermically (see echinacea). He uses Subculoid inula,
from three to five cc. daily. His first report will be found in The National
Quarterly, Volume I, Number 7. It certainly promises favorably. It must be
carefully investigated. Inula is a useful remedy in certain coughs.
Perhaps the alkaloid inulin will be found superior to the fluid medicine in
these cases. It is certainly an important remedy in the relief of irritation
of the trachea and bronchi. Where there is persistent irritating cough,
with pain beneath the sternum, and abundant expectoration, the
condition being acute or sub-acute in character, and accompanied with
sonic elevation of the temperature, it will be found serviceable. It is an
expectorant of a soothing character. It is also diuretic and diaphoretic in
its general influence. Excessive catarrhal discharges from the bladder
are readily controlled by its use, and vaginal catarrh yields readily to its
influence. It acts directly upon the glands of the cervix uteri and in
catarrhal endometritis it speedily overcomes the glairy mucous discharge
and materially improves the condition. Emmenagogue properties are
claimed for it but this property has yet to be demonstrated.
Dr. Burd says that he is acquainted with an old German physician who
claimed to have cured forty-seven cases of hydrophobia with elecampane,
without a single failure. The patients had the diagnostic symptoms
plainly marked so that there was no doubt that the disease was present.
He made a very strong decoction of the remedy in sweet milk. He gave
half a pint of it every hour. He claimed that all these patients vomit a
peculiar green vomit, and when this stops the medicine can be
discontinued or given in less quantities.
JALAP. Ipomea jalapa.
Part Employed—The tuberous root.
CONSTITUENTS—
Convolvulin, jalapin, gum, albumen, salts.
Ellingwood’s American Materia Medica, Therapeutics and Pharmacognosy - Page 264