Action, Medical Uses, and Dosage.—Elecampane is an aromatic stimulant and tonic, and is said to be expectorant, emmenagogue, diuretic, and diaphoretic. It is much used in chronic pulmonary affections, weakness of the digestive organs, hepatic torpor, atonic dyspepsia, with flatus, and internally and externally in tetter, itch, and other cutaneous diseases. When added to the compound syrup of spikenard, it should be exhausted by boiling alcohol, and the tincture added to the syrup, instead of boiling it with the other articles, as is usually done. The alcoholic extract, combined with powdered extract of liquorice, benzoic acid, sanguinaria, and morphine, forms a lozenge or pill very valuable in chronic catarrhal, bronchial, and all pulmonary irritations. One drop of the oil of stillingia may be added to each lozenge for bronchial and laryngeal affections. Night-sweats are relieved by inula, as are some cases of humid asthma, and, by its tonic properties, it tends to sustain the strength of the patient in chronic disorders of the respiratory tract. Helenin is accredited with a fatal action upon the tubercle bacillus by Korab, Blocq, and others. Inula is somewhat slow in action, and should be used for quite a time to get its full action. That it is an important remedy in irritation of the trachea and bronchiæ is now well established. It is adapted to cases with free and abundant expectoration, teasing cough, and pain beneath the sternum, conditions frequent in la grippe, and the severer forms of colds.
An efficient preparation is that recommended by Prof. Locke (Syllab. of Mat. Med.): R Elecampane, ℥i; boiling water, 1 pint. Boil until but 8 ounces remain; add ½ pound of white sugar. Chronic vesical catarrh has yielded to the kindly action of elecampane. Both acute and chronic disorders may be treated with inula. It is also useful in leucorrhœa, and is especially effective in catarrhal endometritis, with discharge of glairy mucus. Dose of the powder, from 20 grains to 1 drachm; of the infusion, from 1 to 2 fluid ounces; syrup, 1 to 4 fluid drachms; specific inula, 5 to 40 drops; fluid extract, 10 to 60 drops; helenin, 1/12 to ¼ grain. Elecampane should be restudied in reference to its action in catarrhal affections of the respiratory organs, and especially in relation to the kind of cough which is mentioned above.
Specific Indications and Uses.—Cough, of a teasing, persistent character, accompanied with substernal pain, and profuse secretion; atony of abdominal viscera, with engorgement and relaxation; catarrhal discharges.