Ad99998 04 034a/eng
Arzney-Pflanzen
Beschreibungstext eng
Plants. LXXX. Vol. IV. No. 32., MEDICINAL PLANTS., Fig. 1. The Senna. (Cassia Senna.), J. he Senna-leaves which are îsnown and ufed every-where as a purging remedy, coine from the Senna, a busb of 3 or 4 feet high, which feldom laits above a Year. Tins busli grows frequently in Syria, Arabia and Egypt; especially in Egypt it is a very important article of commerce, and the beft Senna cornes from Alexandria to Europe. The Senna thrires also by Culture in différent parts of Italy and the South of France, but the leaves are with regard to their virtue much inferiour to those of Egypt, and the only préférence they bave, is, that they are to be bad frefber. The small oblong leaves grow clofe and oppofite to one another on the thin stalks. The ycllow five leaved flowers QA~) form along with their stems a kind of ears; and the oval feeds îye, feparated one from the other by particular husks in the green pods (jB). The leaves contain a thickisb, strong fmeïling volatile Oil wbich may be extracted by infufion and this oil alone produces the purging virtue in the leaves. In order to make the opération stronger, the Senna-leaves muff not be boiled; for in boiling the oil évaporâtes; only bot water muß be poured over them and the décoction ufed., Fig. 2. The Quassy wood. (Quassia amara.), The ÇuoJJy-wood is also well known, and certainly for its falubrious virtues of great consequence. It forms a busb of a middîe size and is to be found in différent parts of South America especially in Cayenne and Surinam, where it grows wild though not very fréquent on the sides of the rivers. The oblong pointed leaves grow by three or four pair on the ilalks, which have winglike prolongations on both Sides ÇA). The five leaved scarlet flowers fiand like bunches clofe to one another ÇB~). The root of this busb (c) which becomes sometimes as thick as an arm is ufed in Medicine. A Negro called Quaffi or Cuaih first discovered its médicinal viitues and from him the Bush is still in medicine called QuaJJîa. The root is very üght and loofe but pretty compact; it contains a bitter StufFwhich may be extracted even by cold water, and which in difFerent especially nervous difeafes is ufed with good effect. Far the genuine Quaffy, which is pretty dear, very often another kind is fubftituted which is much inferiour in its qualities.
