Wild cherry.  Prunus Virginianus.

Internally, used for.—­Tonic, dyspepsia, scrofula.

Part used.—­The bark of the root.

Gather.—­In autumn.

Flowers (when).—­In May.

Prepared (how).—­Powdered bark or infusion.  One ounce of bark to one pint of cold water to make infusion, allow it to stand for a few hours.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—­Take of infusion one to three ounces four or five times a day.  Dose of powdered bark, one to two teaspoonfuls in hot water.  For tonic action and for dyspepsia it should be taken oftener and in half the given doses.

Wild Yam.  Colic Root.  Dioscorea Villosa.

Internally, used for.—­Bilious colic.

Part used.—­Root.

Gather.—­In autumn.

Flowers (when).—­June and July.

Grows (where).—­United States and in Canada, twining over bushes and fences, thickets and hedges.

Prepared (how).—­Decoction of the root.  Pour a pint of boiling water on two ounces of the bruised root, let steep slowly for half hour, strain.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—­Give half cupful of decoction every twenty minutes for bilious colic.  Some have given half a pint at once in a severe case.

[446 Mothers’ remedies]

Wormwood.  Artemisia Absinthium.

Internally, used for.—­Worms, jaundice, dyspepsia, amenorrhea and leucorrhea.

Externally, used for.—­Bruises, local inflammations.

Part used.—­Tops and leaves.

Flowers (when).—­In July and August.

Grows (where).—­United States.

Prepared (how).—­Fomentations.  An infusion is made by adding thirteen of the herbs to a pint of cold water.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—­Dose of infusion one to four teaspoonfuls.  Use fomentations for bruises and local inflammation.

Wormseed. Goose Foot.  Stinking Weed.  Chenopodium Anthelminticum.

Internally, used for.—­Worms, round worms.

Part used.—­Seeds and herb.

Gather.—­In late autumn.

Flowers (when).—­July to September.

Grows (where).—­United States, in waste places.

Prepared (how).—­Oil.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—­Four to eight drops of oil to be given night and morning, for four or five days, and then followed by a purgative.  Combination:  Oil of wormseed one ounce, oil of tansy one ounce, spirits of turpentine one and one-half ounce, castor oil one pint.  Dose for a child, a teaspoonful every hour until it operates; for an adult one tablespoonful.  Powdered herb:  Dose, half to one teaspoonful.

Yarrow.  Milfoil.  Thousand Leaf.  Achillea Millefolium.

Internally, used for.—­Bleeding from the lungs, kidneys, piles, dysentery, menorrhagia.

Part used.—­The herb.

Flowers (when).—­Nearly whole summer.