American Materia Medica, Therapeutics and Pharmacognosy

BETULA. Betula alba.
Synonym—White Birch.
This agent has been quite extensively used in Europe from the time of the
Middle Ages. One of the old writers—Dragendorff—says the bark is given
in malarial fevers, in dropsy, gout, disease of the lungs; also in abscesses,
and in skin diseases and itch, and where there is excessive sweating of
the feet. The juice or sap from the tree is used in kidney and bladder
trouble.
The following facts were furnished me by Dr. Isenburg of Hamburg,
Germany:
The bark contains betulin, a resinous substance, and betulalbin. The
bark of the black variety contains glucosides, gaultherin, and an
essential oil. Winternitz and Jenicke both recommend the remedy for its
diuretic effect and for its influence in dissolving kidney stones.
Winternitz made an infusion of the dried leaves in the preparation of one
part to six or eight parts of water by weight. Of this he would give from four
to six ounces at a dose for albuminuria. He claimed that albumin
epithelial scales and casts would disappear entirely. The quantity of the
urine would increase to from six to ten times its bulk. Jenicke used it in
nephrolithiasis. In one case, a stone had been discovered in the kidney
by an X-ray. The urine was concentrated, sometimes bloody, contained
pus cells, and uric acid in large quantities with three and one-half per
cent of albumin.
This tea reduced the quantity of albumin, relieved the pain, improved the
general health of the patient so that in twelve weeks' time he was entirely
cured, the urine being normal. There has been passed from time to time
with the water tiny pieces of stone from the kidney. We have had reports
from a number of writers in this country concerning the action of this
remedy in a similar manner, and all confirm the observations made by
the German writers.
BOLETUS. Boletus laricis.
Synonyms—White Agaric (Agaricus Albus), Larch Agaric, Purging Agaric,
Fungus Agaric, Spunk.
Ellingwood’s American Materia Medica, Therapeutics and Pharmacognosy - Page 80