American Materia Medica, Therapeutics and Pharmacognosy

CONSTITUENTS—
Chrysophanic acid, tannin, gum, starch. The petioles of the leaves
contain nearly one per cent of oxalic acid.
PREPARATIONS—
Extractum Rumicis Fluidum. Fluid Extract of Rumex. Dose, from
ten to sixty minims.
Specific Rumex. Dose, from five to thirty minims.
Therapy—The alterative properties of this agent are underestimated. It is
a renal depurant and general alterative of much value when ulceration of
mucous surfaces or disease of the skin results from impure blood. It acts
directly in its restorative influence, purifying the blood, removing
morbific material, and quickly cures the disease conditions. It is valuable
in ulcerative stomatitis, in nursing sore mouth, and in ulceration of the
stomach with great lack of tone, combined with quercus or other tonic
astringent, it has no equal in these conditions. It has cured exceedingly
persistent cases of exhaustive morning diarrhea, the discharges being
very frequent between six and twelve o'clock. It has been used also in the
treatment of syphilis and scrofula with good results.
Dr. Vassar of Ohio believes that Yellow Dock is the best remedy known to
prevent the inroads made by cancer on the human system. It is also
valuable in necrosis, scrofula, and tuberculosis. I have mentioned the
fact that this remedy will absorb iron from the soil very rapidly and carry
a much larger proportion than normal, thus rendering the iron organic.
Dr. Vassar knew of a blacksmith who raised Yellow Dock root, cultivating
it in a soil which he kept constantly saturated with the washing from his
cooling tubs, and scattered all the iron filings and rust over it.
Ellingwood's Therapeutist has often called attention to this property of
yellow dock and to the positive tonic and alterative influence exercised
by it when so saturated with iron.
The above statement of the doctor's is the only one I have been able to
find from any but foreign writers that emphasizes the power of yellow dock
in extracting iron from the soil. It is possible that other inorganic
medicines can be made organic in larger quantities by being artificially
forced through the growth and development of plants in the natural
exercise of their vital powers. The doctor thinks that the preservation of
an absolutely normal cell condition of the human body if possible will
prevent the development of cancer. He uses Yellow Dock hypodermically
and thinks that there are mild early cases of cancer that can be cured
Ellingwood’s American Materia Medica, Therapeutics and Pharmacognosy - Page 383