Eupatorium teucrifolium. (E. Verbenaefolium.) Wild Horehound.

Also see: Eupatorium aromaticum. White Snakeroot. - Eupatorium perfoliatum. Boneset. - Eupatorium purpureum. Queen of the Meadow. - Eupatorium teucrifolium. (E. Verbenaefolium.) Wild Horehound. - -

Nat. Ord. — Asteraceae. Sex. Syst. — Syngenesia Aequalis.

The Herb.

Description. — This is an indigenous, perennial plant, with a herbaceous, paniculate, pubescent stem, growing from two to three feet high, with fastigiate, corymbose branches above. The leaves are opposite, sessile, distinct, ovate-oblong, and ovate-lanceolate, rough, veiny, the lower ones coarsely serrate toward the base, the upper ones alternate, subserrate, and often entire. Branches of the corymb, few, unequal. The flowers are small, white, composed of five florets within each calyx; scales of the involucre oblong-lanceolate, rather obtuse, at length shorter than the flowers.

History. — This plant grows in low wet places, from New England to Georgia, and is very abundant in the Southern States, flowering from August to November. The whole herb is employed ; its sensible properties are similar to boneset, but less bitter and disagreeable. Its active properties are taken up by spirits, or water by infusion. It has not been analyzed.

Properties and Uses. — Tonic, diaphoretic, diuretic, and laxative. Recommended by Dr. Jones, of Georgia, in intermittent and remittent fevers. Usually administered in infusion ; one ounce of the dried leaves infused in a quart of water, of which, half a teacupful may be given every hour or two, as warm as can be comfortably drank; it will prove diaphoretic, or diuretic, according to the temperature in which the patient is kept, and likewise laxative. The cold infusion, or tincture, is tonic.

The Eupatorium Hyssopifolium, and Eupatorium Leucolepsis, both called "Justice's Weed," have been used with success for curing the bites of snakes and other poisonous animals; they were employed for this purpose by John Justice, of South Carolina, in 1800, who received a premium for disclosing his remedy.

The American Eclectic Dispensatory, 1854, was written by John King, M. D.