Quassia.
Botanical name:
The wood of Picraena excelsa.
Preparations.—Infusion of Quassia. Tincture of Quassia.
Dose.—Of the infusion, from ʒj. to ℥j. Of the tincture, gtt. v. to ʒss.
Therapeutic Action.—Quassia is tonic, stomachic and antiseptic, possessing all the properties that belong to the other pure bitters. It is employed in cases of anorexia for promoting the appetite and assisting the digestive functions. It is wholly devoid of all irritant, stimulant, or astringent properties, and hence has been regarded as the type of the pure bitters. Its use is mostly confined to atonic states of the system, with indigestion and loss of appetite.
The American Eclectic Materia Medica and Therapeutics, 1898, was written by John M. Scudder, M.D.
