Common Names: Gravel, Plant, Wild May Flower, Gravel Laurel, Mountain Pink, Winter Pink, Arbutus. Features: Arbutus, a genus of trees and shrubs in the heath family( Ericaceae) comprising about twenty species native to southern Asia, the Mediterranean region, and North and South America, as far south as Chili.
Trailing arbutus belongs to the genus Epigaea. This is a small trailing plant, with woody stems, from 6 – 18 in., which appear early in the spring. An evergreen under-shrub, with a red and brown fibrous root having many tangled rootlets. The stem is 6 – 18 in. long, woody, rounded and hairy, with a brown bark. The leaves are alternate, and entire, cordate, ovate, petiolate, 2 in. long. The flowers are white, pink or rose coloured, appearing early in the spring in small auxiliary clusters from scaly bracts, and are very fragrant. It is found in woods and sides of hills with northern exposure. Medicinal Part: The whole plant, especially the leaves. Solvent: Boiling water. Bodily Influence: Diuretic Astringent. Uses: This American plant is said to be superior to Buchu( Barosma crenata) and Uva ursi( Arctostaphylos uva ursi) in all lithic acid diseases of the urinary organs associated with irritation. Useful for gravel, debilitated or relaxed bladder, and in urine containing blood or pus. Successfully used in diarrhoea and bowel complaints of children. Dose: The infusion of 1 oz. of the whole plant cut small, or the leaves, to 1 pint of boiling water, steep ½ hr. The infusion may be used freely. Homoeopathic Clinical: Tincture of fresh leaves— Calculi Urinary, Dysuria, Gravel, Dysentery.
ARNICA Arnica montana( N. O.: Compositae)
Common Names: Leopard’ s Bane, Arnica. Features: Arnica is of the thistle family, found growing in the northern mountain states of America and Canada.
A perennial herb, with a slender, blackish rhizome 1 – 2 in. long, from which are given off numerous filiform roots. The stem, 10 – 12 in. high, is erect pubescent, rough, striated, either simple or with one pair of opposite branches. The leaves, 1½ – 3 in. long, are few, entire, sessile, opposite, obovate; the radical ones crowded at the base, the upper smaller than the rest. The heads, 2 – 2½ in. wide, are large and solitary at the summit of the stem and lateral branches. The involucre is cylindrical, dull green, with purplish points and hairy. The disc flowers are yellow and numerous, with tumular corolla with five spreading teeth. The ray flowers are about fifteen in number, yellow in colour. It flowers in July and August.
Arnica is a treasure indeed and has been sought diligently by persons living in accessible localities. The root of Arnica montana, the Mountain tobacco, yields a small quantity of oil and resinous substance. Medicinal Parts: Rhizome, flowers. Solvents: Boiling water, alcohol. Bodily Influence: Stimulant. Uses: The utmost care should be taken when given internally, as large amounts are poisonous. In emergencies, causing mental or physical shock; pain and swelling after a troublesome dental extraction; sprains of joints; fractured bones; headaches( even concussions), good results follow the internal administration of Arnica. Persons recover much more rapidly than under morphine.