King's American Dispensatory, vol. 1

What it is

The standard reference of the Eclectic physicians, an American school of medicine that relied on native plants. Each article describes the plant, its preparation, its chemistry as then understood, and how Eclectic doctors used it.

Whose knowledge it records

Written by Eclectic physicians and pharmacists in Ohio. Much of what they knew about North American plants came from Indigenous peoples and from settler folk practice, which the book credits unevenly.

Passages transcribed

• ABSINTHIUM. History (p. 5)
• ABSINTHIUM. Related Species (p. 6)
• ACHILLEA.—YARROW. Botanical Source and Description; History (p. 19)
• AGRIMONIA.—AGRIMONY. (pp. 129–130)
• ALLIUM (U. S. P.)—GARLIC. Action, Medical Uses, and Dosage (p. 145)
• ALOE.—ALOES. Botanical Source and History (pp. 148–149)
• ALTHÆA (U. S. P.)—ALTHÆA. Botanical Source; History and Description (pp. 157–158)
• ANEMOPSIS CALIFORNICA.—YERBA MANSA. History and Description (opening); Action, Medical Uses, and Dosage (p. 202)
• ANISUM (U. S. P.)—ANISE. History (p. 209)
• ARCHANGELICA OFFICINALIS.—GARDEN ANGELICA. History (p. 266)
• ARNICA.—ARNICA. Action, Medical Uses, and Dosage (pp. 279–280)
• ASCLEPIAS (U. S. P.)—ASCLEPIAS. Action, Medical Uses, and Dosage (pp. 290–291)
• ATROPINÆ SULPHAS. Related Species and Principles (Ephedra vulgaris) (p. 309)
• AURANTII AMARI CORTEX (U. S. P.)—BITTER ORANGE PEEL. Description (p. 309)
• AVENA SATIVA.—COMMON OAT. Action, Medical Uses, and Dosage (p. 316)
• BERBERIS AQUIFOLIUM.—OREGON GRAPE. History (p. 347)
• BERBERIS.—BARBERRY. History (p. 345)
• BETULA LENTA.—BLACK BIRCH. Related Species (Betula alba) (p. 350)
• BUCHU (U. S. P.)—BUCHU. History (p. 371)
• CALAMUS (U. S. P.)—SWEET FLAG. History (pp. 390–391)
• CALENDULA (U. S. P.)—CALENDULA. History (p. 401)
• CAPSELLA.—SHEPHERD’S PURSE. Botanical Source; History (p. 431)
• CARDAMOMUM (U. S. P.)—CARDAMOM. Other Cardamoms and Related Seeds (Grana Paradisi) (pp. 446–447)
• CARDUUS MARIANUS.—ST. MARY’S THISTLE. (pp. 447–448)
• CATAPLASMA LINI.—LINSEED POULTICE. (pp. 462–463)
• CATAPLASMA OXYCOCCI.—CRANBERRY POULTICE. (p. 463)
• CATARIA.—CATNIP. History (p. 465)
• CEANOTHUS.—RED-ROOT. Action, Medical Uses, and Dosage (p. 473)
• CHIMAPHILA (U. S. P.)—CHIMAPHILA. Action, Medical Uses, and Dosage (p. 497)
• CHONDRUS (U. S. P.)—CHONDRUS. (pp. 524–525)
• CICHORIUM.—CHICORY. History (opening); Action, Medical Uses, and Dosage; Related Species (p. 528)
• CIMICIFUGA (U. S. P.)—CIMICIFUGA. Action, Medical Uses, and Dosage (p. 530)
• CIMICIFUGA (U. S. P.)—CIMICIFUGA. History (p. 529)
• CINNAMOMUM.—CINNAMON. Botanical Source and History (pp. 558–559)
• CNICUS BENEDICTUS.—BLESSED THISTLE. (pp. 563–564)
• COLLINSONIA.—STONE-ROOT. History; Action, Medical Uses, and Dosage (first paragraph) (p. 581)
• COPTIS.—GOLD-THREAD. History; Action, Medical Uses, and Dosage (opening) (p. 603)
• DAMIANA.—DAMIANA. Description (sensible properties), Chemical Composition, Action, Medical Uses, and Dosage (pp. 646–647)
• DIOSCOREA.—WILD YAM. History (p. 659)
• ECHINACEA.—ECHINACEA. History (p. 671)
• EQUISETUM.—SCOURING RUSH. (p. 713)
• ERIODICTYON (U. S. P.)—ERIODICTYON. Botanical History and Source; History; Description (pp. 727–728)
• EUPATORIUM (U. S. P.)—EUPATORIUM. Action, Medical Uses, and Dosage (p. 739)
• EUPATORIUM PURPUREUM.—QUEEN OF THE MEADOW. Botanical Source; History and Description (p. 740)
• EUPHRASIA.—EYEBRIGHT. Action, Medical Uses, and Dosage (p. 752)
• FICUS (U. S. P.)—FIG. Action and Medical Uses (p. 891)
• FRANGULA (U. S. P.)—FRANGULA. (pp. 898–899)
• FUCUS VESICULOSUS.—BLADDER-WRACK. Action, Medical Uses, and Dosage (p. 903)