would be of little use to disprove it to her satisfaction; drinks much water and only tea at her meals; never uses coffee, and if attempted,' would instantly throw it up again, should she stoop in the least degree or even bend forward her head; one of the permanent good results, however, of using cereus triangularis, is the absence of that wheezing asthmatic condition, and consequently of expectorating mucus; another result accomplished previously, was the disappearance of traces of blood from the expectorated mucus; another strange incident was, that she had menstruated twice and much longer each time, the preceding mouth; never before since her eleventh year had she been out of time or profuse; whether to ascribe this effect to the use of large doses of cereus triangularis or the possible approach of the climacteric period, we will not say; but we have already noticed in two cases treated with different species of cereus, a similar result and forbear comment. Our patient is getting stouter around the waist, the result of better assimilation. A critical examination was now made for the first time, and auscultation revealed a loud and very forcible apex beat; rhythm perfect; pulse, seventy-two, full and soft; sleeps undisturbed. Could the case be complicated with cardiac distension?

We recommended a diet of lean meat, plenty of fruit and if agreeable to suck a lemon for the purpose of quenching the thirst; the use of all kinds of amylaceous food, particularly potatoes, was countermanded, and the use of water or liquids allowed sparingly.

We now determined to try the use of cereus Bonplandii in this case, with the view of observing their relative effects, inasmuch as cereus triangularis had seemingly expended its sphere of action. Prescribed:

B Tinct. Cereus Bonplandii 3 ii

Sig: Take fifteen drops every three hours in a little water.

June 10. The last medicine acted beyond expectation; she can walk much faster or go up a flight of stairs quicker than before, without having palpitation; is less nervous also, though having cause for such. Ordered to continue the medicine.

June 21. — Had not felt so smart the last few days; renewed evidence of palpitation and dyspnoea after exertion. Ordered the same medicine in doses of twenty drops every three hours.

June 27. Reported that palpitation was just the same and especially worse, leaning the body forward; other than this, the patient did not complain of any thing. Continue the medicine in same doses, and if not more effective, increase it to twenty-five drops. June 29.Stated that she took the medicine in doses of twentyfive drops the previous day, and shortly after noticed a hot feeling passing from the neck up to the temples, increasing to a fullness of the head. After the next dose, the heat within the cerebrum increased two-fold; the surface of the whole body lowered in temperature; perspiration profuse, and notwithstanding this, burning hot inside. After the third dose, was seized with a severe pain, passing in a horizontal line from the base of the brain forward to the supra-orbital ridges; this pain was very acute with all the previous conditions much

intensified; tried to lower internal heat by fanning herself, which seemed to aggravate her condition. After the fourth dose things got even worse than before; the heat in the head seemed to have reached its culminating point, and that of the viscera was high enough; all the blood seemed to have receded from the peripheral to larger vessels; seeking relief by placing herself in a cold draught, it was merely productive of a severe chill; getting frightened, she hastily changed places, and after a little it passed off again. After the fifth dose conditions remained in statu quo, excepting that as a compensatory effect, the palpitation had in like degree so much diminished. that even after undue exercise being made, there was no return of this objective symptom.

June 30. Took one dose before breakfast after more or less heat was felt around the lumbar region; those transient chest-pains, however, had disappeared, as well as the bloated state of the body; the latter condition could not have been due to a change of diet, but rather was the result of cereus Bonplandii, an effect of this drug we had observed on other occasions; there was a reduction of three inches in the circumference of the waist, which had been accomplished during a fortnight. Ordered the medicine to be continued in the same doses for another day, and thereafter to be reduced to twenty drops for a dose.

July 1. — The medicine had gradually expended the force of those alarming symptoms and when using it in reduced quantity, produced no further determination; general health excellent.

July 5. Notwithstanding the noise of the Fourth of July, which on former occasions was a source of torment to her irritable nerves, it passed off without making her in the last nervous.

September 30. Has had a return of one or two paroxyms in a mild form only. It is our intention to try some new species of cereus in this case hereafter.

No. 606 THIRD AVENUE.'

PHYLLOCACTUS GRANDIS (LEMAIRE).

Natural Order: Cactaceae. Tribe: Phyllocacteæ.

HISTORY, BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION AND THERAPEUTICAL APPLICATION.

By RICHARD E. KUNZÉ, M. D., of New York City.

The genus Phyllocactus was formerly deferred to other genera and recognized under the following synonyms: Cactus Linnæus); Epiphyllum (Haworth); Phyllanthus (Necker); Cereus (DeCandolle, Hooker and Pfeiffer), and Phyllocereus (Miguel). Hence it is that this plant is recognized by cultivators under these various generic names. Of late they are known as winged cacti and winged cerei. The phyllocactus grandis is known as the winged cactus or grand phyllocactus of Cuba.

In presenting this lovely night-blooming cactus, another of Prof. Balfour's bats and owls of the vegetable kingdom, as a new remedy to the profession, it is not our aim merely to swell the list of agents of the materia medica, but to place on record a positive and reliable drug for the cure of cardiac affections. Considering that many of the nocturnal cacti have been indiscriminately used in the place of cereus grandiflorus, and that different plants ought to possess dissimilar properties, it was a desire for positive evidence and reliable information which caused us to examine the properties of this plant. With the aid of accompanying illustrations, which was drawn and colored from life by our ever ready friend, Mrs. Annie N. Thomas, of this city, it will be an easy task for every physician and pharmacist to recognize this plant hereafter, should occasion warrant its employment as a medicine in the future. It is one of the very few cactean plants, presenting a pleasing aspect to the eye, even when not in bloom, and as they can be obtained without much difficulty, are easily taken care of and flowered, it will, perhaps, serve the double purpose of an ornamental rare plant in the office of the physician, and a reliable friend when in need of a potent, yet safe remedy. The plant which served for our illustration, is the one which we had in bloom this autumn, and which was the occasion of some graphic and pleasing notices in two of our morning papers. The following article appeared in the New York Times of September 27th, 1876, to wit:

"A beautiful specimen of the night-blooming cactus of the phyllocactus grandis variety was exhibited last evening by Dr. R. E. Kunzé, at No. 606 Third avenue. The plant was imported from Central America, and is five years old and four feet in height. It blooms but one night, and its blossoms, which are very fragrant, only

remain open for about four hours, after which they begin to contract' and finally wither before morning. The plant exhibited last evening had two buds which appeared in full bloom at eight o'clock, each presenting a flower nine inches in diameter, the fragrance of which was very sweet."

The following account was given in the New York Sun of the same date, namely:

"A Floral Rarity. A plant that blossoms only once, and then only at night, two great, gorgeous white blossoms, with yellow stamens and rose colored sepals, the continuation of a tube a foot in length, formed the crowning glory of an immense branching cactus that stood just within the open doorway of Dr. Kunzé's drug store, at 606 Third avenue, last evening. The beautiful flowers, looking something like glorified pond lilies, attracted attention. The plant was the phyllocactus grandis, a native of Central America, and a type of the luxuriant tropical vegetation that requires the rich, damp earth and intense heat of the interior valleys, rather than the dry arid soil in which plants of its character are more commonly found. The most interesting feature of this particular cactus is, that it flowers only one night. The beautiful calyx, moreover never unfolds more than once, and then for a few hours only. Those of last night began to open at eight o'clock, and closed at about two o'clock, A. M. They were viewed by artists and men of science, who made drawings and took notes of their peculiarities. The plant, which is five years old, is the finest specimen of its kind ever exhibited in New York."

HISTORY.

This beautiful phyllocactus is a native of Cuba and Honduras, but cultivated on the other West Indian Islands and Central American States, where it is sometimes known as the night-blooming cereus. Mr. Isaac Buchanan says, that at the isthmus of Panama, it is cultivated and known by the latter name only. It will attain a hight of ten feet and over. It bears many fragrant flowers, which, on account of their great size and fine color, make the plant a beautiful object to behold. They resemble by their form and disposition of segments those of cereus grandiflorus, but they are diametrically smaller. Flowering early in summer and late in the autumn, it is a desirable variety for culture. The flowers open in the evening, after dark, and last but one short night. It belongs to the old class of wingleaved cerei, and is one of the finest species of the genus. It is found growing in the hot low lands of tropical America.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION.

The phyllocactus grandis is a plant with a cylindrical, hard, woody stem, many of which starting from a common root stalk, giving the plant a neat, bushy appearance. The tops of the long branches are gracefully bent, and from the weight of the many pendant flowers, drooping. The smaller branches are generally given off from the crenatures or notches of the larger ones, else directly from the main stem, and observe a drooping habit. The

branches average from one to three feet in length, are very numerous, broad, flat, compressed, foliaceous, green, and cut in the border into large crenatures or notches. The surface and edges of the branches observe an irregular waving outline. They are rather more slender than thick, winged, without spines, from one and a-half to two and a-half inches wide, and obtuse at the end. Branches have a strong central woody rib. In color, fragrance and graceful carriage, the flowers of this magnificent cactus are certainly not surpassed by any of its allied species or other genera. The odor of the flower is rather delicate, and resembles that of the hyacinth. A strange fact connected with the flower is, that when it is approached from the front, hardly any odor is perceptible, and by some claimed even to be disagreeable to some extent; but going near it from above, and just back of the corolla, the odor is not only strong, but very sweet. The odor is given out from the colored sepals, whereas the white petals of the corolla are devoid of any fragrance, and when closely approached, rather of a weedy smell; hence the difference of opinion given by botanists in regard to the fragrance of this species.

If

It is exactly four weeks from the time that the plant first strikes bud, until the period of inflorescence. The young bud, and until maturity, is of a dull pink shade on parts facing the sun, which increases in richness of color toward the flower-tube or stem. the direct rays of the sun are withheld by shading the plant, hardly any pink is noticeable on the bud or flower. Then the nearest approach to it is that of a flesh-color. Hence, a strong light is necessary to increase the intensity and quantity of color in this flower. The bud on the day of inflorescence begins to swell considerable, and becomes pregnant with beauty toward the approach of night. Nature seems to double her efforts; the bud gradually increases in size; at six o'clock, P. M., the tips of the snowy petals first make their appearance; at seven, the rose-colored and pinkish sepals losing all restraint, are slowly moving into new positions, and by 8.30 P. M., this floral queen, now in her crowning glory, sits enthroned to receive kind homage of her many admiring friends. From nine to ten P. M., the spectacle presented by this resplendent beauty is fascinating, glorious beyond description. The white petals of the corolla are enhanced in the background by the richly rosecolored sepals giving to the whole a glowing warmth, the very life of nature, as it were. By twelve o'clock, P. M., the sepals are further thrown back, and at four o'clock, the life of our beautiful queen is ended before the dawn of another day.

It is especially by its flowers that it differs from its allied species. (Phyllocactus Hookeri, P. latifrons, P. crenatus, etc.) The tube of the flower is remarkably bent (almost double on itself); as all the flowers offer this singular character, it is probable that it is inherent to the species. The scales of the tube, and those which form the first rows of the corolla are extremely narrow and rose-colored. The former are very sparsely placed, and of a deep pink tinge. The flower and tube are a foot in length. The flower tube is seven to eight inches long, and the corolla or flower proper four to five