An investigation of the properties of the Sanguinaria canadensis, or puccoon / by William Downey.

  • Downey, William.
Date:
[1803]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An investigation of the properties of the Sanguinaria canadensis, or puccoon / by William Downey. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    stalk. On each lobe, one large fibre of a very light yellow colour, may be seen run- ning from the stalk, and many smaller ones branching from it in all directions. OF ITS NATURAL HISTORY. The plant which is the subject of the pre- sent enquiry, is known by different appellations, in America, as the puccoon, bloodwort, red root, Indian paint, turmeric, &x. Perhaps it is one of the most abundant vegetables of our country. In the Florida's it is found to grow plentifully, and Professor Barton informs me, he has seen it as far north as lati- tude 43°, and imagines it extremely probable, that it extends much farther. We find it gene- rally inhabiting a rich loose soil, and the declivi- ties of hills. It is seldom or never found to grow in lands, which have been cleared of their timber, or in a state of cultivation. Its flowers generally appear about the first of April, and before its leaves put out. ANALYSIS OF THE ROOT. EXPERIMENT I. Having obtained a quantity of the root dried, and reduced to a gross powder, six ounces of water were poured on two ounces of it; after standing twelve hours, the whole was subjected to a low degree of heat in a glass retort, to which a receiver was properly adapted. At the expira- tion of three hours, the liquor which had passed into the receiver, was examined, and found to be