Thlaspi bursa pastoris in Haemorrhage. By Dr. Hannon.—The
cruciferaa arrange themselves, according to their therapeutical constitu-
ents, into two groups :—1st. Those which contain a sharp essential oil,
and are, on that account, used as an irritant to the skin, such as mus-
tard, etc. 2ndly. Into those which contain less essential oil, but, on the
other hand, much astringent and bitter matter, and which are, therefore,
useful in assisting digestion and improving the state of the blood. The
number of the latter is very great. The whole coast of Northern Europe
bears the cochlearia officinalis, a most useful antiscorbutic. The whole
surface of Europe produces the nasturtium officinale, cardamine pratensis
and amara, and lepidum sativum (garden cress.) On the coast of
America and the Antilles is found kakile Americana,—another antiscor-
butic of great value; the Laplanders, the Kamtschadalen, and the Green-
landers possess their nasturtium palustre and sylvestre.
All these plants possess an essential oil, containing sulphur, a bitter
resin, tannic acid, salts of soda, potash, lime, and iron, with a nitroge-
nous substance, which, in decomposition, causes the evolution of am-
monia.
The thlaspi bursa pastoris was used in the earliest periods, according
to Dioscorides, as a remedy in hgemoptisis; in later times it was recom-
mended by Simon Pauli, and recently it has been approved by Lejeune,
Merst, and Deiens, for the same disease, and by Dubois for haematuria
and haemoptisis. Rene Van Oye and Rademacher confirm its utility.
The author found it useful in many diseases, and especially in those
haemorrhages in which the fibrin of the blood is diminished. In certain
subjects, the flow of blood constitutes the only disease; it occurs sponta-
neously, and without fever. The patients have, during the first attack,
the aspect of good health, a fine rosy skin, and are well nourished; but
upon closer inspection there is remarked a want of energy in the organic
functions, labored and slow movements, and general apathy. By fre-
quent recurrence of the haemorrhages, there ensues pallor of the tissues,
well pronounced anaemia; the nervous system seems over excited. Hence
follow pains in the joints; the least pressure is followed by ecchymosis,
in the form either of petechice or purpura; the least wound bleeds obsti-
nately, and requires the repeated application of astringents; coagulation
of the blood ensues with difficulty. In women the catamenia are frequent,
profuse and exhausting. The blood appears serous and pale,—the clot
is soft, small, and never buffed. The skin perspires easily and abun-
dantly ; every breath of air calls forth neuralgia. The urine is pale and
copious; the evacuation from the rectum, fluid; and hydropic effusions,
such as oedema of the foot, occur readily. The thlaspi bursa pastoris,
administered for a considerable time, works in these cases a change in
the constitution of the blood, especially when aided by the influence of
good air and properly regulated diet. The best formulae are the succus
thlaspi, prepared cold, and of bitter taste, three to six drams a day. The
extractum thlaspi, the expressed juice, reduced by evaporation to the
consistence of an extract, one to two drams a day.—Med. Times, from
Presse Med., 1853.