GENTIAN,—FOREIGN.

It is obtained from the Gentiana Lutea, or yellow Gentian. It is a native of the Alps, Pyrenees, etcetera.

The root is used. It is one of the most useful of our bitter vegetable tonics. It is especially useful in states of exhaustion, from chronic disease, and all cases of debility, unconnected with excessive irritability of the stomach. It possesses febrific, anthelmintic, and antiseptic properties, and as a warm stomachic tonic, it is unrivalled.

It is an excellent tonic to combine with a purgative, to prevent its debilitating effects.

All purgatives ought so to be compounded. The extract, which may be purchased at the shops, is used in from 5 to 10 grains, or more made into pills. The compound tincture may be taken in one or two spoonful doses, in water.

The root powdered may be taken; dose, from 10 to 20 grains—this is sometimes sprinkled on foul sloughing ulcers. The best preparation, however, for general use, is the concentrated infusion,—thus prepared : To every ounce of sliced Gentian root, add a quarter of an ounce of dried orange peel, and infuse these—not boil, with successive quantities of boiling water poured over them, until their strength is exhausted. Strain the liquor from the root, and concentrate by boiling in a well-tinned or porcelain-lined saucepan, until the quantity is so far reduced, that there is left half a pint of the concentrated infusion for every ounce of Gentian used. Then to each half pint, half an ounce of alcohol is to be added.

The effect of the alcohol is to coagulate it from a quantity of jelly-looking substance, which must be separated by straining. This infusion will keep a long time—. the dose being, one tea-spoonful in an ounce of water. This is one of the best strengtheners of the human system.