Daucus Carota. Carrot.

Description: Natural Order, Umbelliferae. The genus DAUCUS is a native of Europe, but is now extensively naturalized in America. It is a biennial plant, with a long, tapering, fleshy root; from which arise a cluster of numerously pinnatifid leaves the first year; and the second year the erect, rough, and branching stem, with nun1erous and dense umbels of cream-colored flowers. The cultivated carrot of the gardens, the root of which is so edible, is the same as the wild plant; but is more pleasant, and is the one especially alluded to here.

Properties and Uses: The seeds (in proper botanical language, the fruit) have been used in medicine since the middle centuries. They are a pleasant and diffusive aromatic stimulant, somewhat relaxant, carminative, and acting chiefly upon the kidneys. They are too transient to effect a permanent impression, but are a good adjuvant to such diuretics as eupatorium purpureum and the leaves of amygdalis.

The boiled roots also act on the kidneys; and form an excellent emollient and gently stimulating poultice in irritable ulcers of all grades. But the fresh and unboiled roots, finely grated, make a peculiar stimulating application of great value. They are excellent in all low forms of sores; such as carbuncles, degenerate abscesses, and buboes; and all fetid ulcers of the malignant, cachectic, and scrofulous grades. They correct the fetor, relieve the aching, and quickly promote sound granulation. It is said that they will even abate the suffering of phagedaena and of cancer. They certainly deserve far more attention than they have received from the profession; and sores in which it seems impossible to arouse a healing process by ordinary means, will usually improve at once under this application. The raw carrots are not to be continued after full vital action in the part has been established.

The Physiomedical Dispensatory, 1869, was written by William Cook, M.D.
It was scanned by Paul Bergner at http://medherb.com