> the dispensatories consulted. Dr. Fernie, in his

excellent book, Herbal simples devotes some space to

it. We quote: "'There is,' says an old writer, 'in every

berry the exhilaration of wine, and the satisfying of old

mead; and whosoever shall eat three berries of them, if

he has completed a hundred years, he will return to the

age of thirty.' At the same time it must be noted that

the leaves of the Mountain ash are of a poisonous

quality, and contain prussic acid like those of the

laurel." The following is Dr. Gatchell's paper, the

proving, be it noted, is made from a tincture of the

bark:)



My memory of details, never remarkable, except as the details belonged

to some system, is not as good as in earlier life, and in the matter of

disconnected or partially connected incidents, the widow Bedott could,

at any time, have given me five points in ten, and then have beaten me

easily.



No. 1 of the provers was a married lady; No. 2 and No. 3 were lads. The

tincture of the bark was used, several drops being put in a cup of

water, of which teaspoonful doses were given and repeated at, I do not

remember what, intervals. Myself experienced some irritation of the

eyes; no other symptoms.



No. 1. Feels like crying. Feels as if the knees are immensely swollen,

as if the toes the same. Knees and toes ache. Feels constricted around

the waist, obliged to loosen the clothes at once. Headache begins over

the eyes, left side of head aches terribly, like a tooth ache. Aches

everywhere, in every joint. Left great toe feels as if torn from the

socket. Sense of prolapsus of womb, bearing down and pressing out, as if

swollen, and burning all over. Pains in the head knife-like. All the

pains intense, acute. Thinks the conditions that of inflammatory

rheumatism as if the lungs were congested, especially at the base. Can

hardly breathe, as if cold water in the stomach. Thinks mucus

accumulated in the cold stomach. Craves hot teas. Headache extends to

the right side. Head feels as if it would burst. Great weight on top of

head. Toes burn. Aching at heart. Twinging pains in arms, legs and toes.

As if rectum were shrunken, dried up. Bearing down pains and pressing

out, like labor pains. Feels gloomy and discouraged, but can't cry. Very

cold, shivers internally; thinks she must look blue. Cold creeping all

over. Pain in knees subsides, and is succeeded by pain as in the tendons

and along the calves. "Oh, such a drawing pain, cutting and darting

also, like that in the head." Feels resolute, as full of a gloomy

determination. Stomach cold again. Thinks meat bad for her, would not

digest; needs soft, mild food. Irritation of bladder and urethra; feels

as if prolapsus of bladder. Dreads to move, especially on account of the

joints. Sensitive to cold. Stomach still feels as if full of cold

water. Sick feeling under right scapula. Thinks bile deficient.

Shooting pains in forehead. Feeling as if coldness in stomach extends up

under the sternum. Same feeling in the gullet. Excessive aching of bones

of toes; seems unendurable. Thinks the stomach very weak, as if it would

digest nothing; thinks it is dry and wrinkled. Hypochondriac, not

nervous. Feels lazy, as if she would like to lie in bed and be waited

on. Selfish. Headache penetrating in temples. Thinks she is clairvoyant,

can read character and understand motions; can see into herself; thinks

the blood dark blue. Feels pains drawing, rending along posterior aspect

of thighs and down to toes. Left side most affected. Feels as if the

left leg were drawn up, and would never straighten again. Pains seem to

move in meandering lines. Seems to be able to go out of herself for a

short distance, to walk around and return into the body. Thinks she is

looking down upon her own body. Seems to her that the fundus of the

stomach is depressed in the abdomen, as if on fire at the pyloric end of

stomach. Thinks there is a red spot there, looking like raw beef, as if

the stomach burnt up with raw whisky. Exclaims in a plaintive tone,

"Don't get out of patience with me" (of which I had given no

indications). Cries, feels babyish. Apprehension; fears something

terrible is about to occur. Very chilly. Can't talk loud; voice gone.

She feels so weak, as if about to die. Moans and groans, calls for help.

Oppression about the heart, as if it had stopped beating, as going into

convulsions. Feels as if a spasm of the heart, tetanic. As if the blood

too thick to circulate. Thinks she would have died but for the Camphor

I gave her. Felt as she did when near dying of hemorrhage. Brain is

active, intellect clear, thoughts vivid, the whole being intensified.

Next morning, sense of constriction at base of lungs. Some cough. Clammy

feeling of skin. Very sensitive to air.



No. 2. Causes a glow all over, hands sweat. Some pain in finger joints.

Throat feels obstructed. Some hoarseness. Dry cough, as if pharynx

stuffed with cotton. It is an effort to talk. Tongue feels partially

paralyzed, cannot direct it. Throws the paper down, has lost inclination

to read. Feels indolent, indifferent. Feels chills when air strikes.

Spasmodic breathing, like a nervous woman--silly, mystical. Pain in

finger joints continues. Feels like crying. Sad, weeping mood. Tears

will come. Eyes smart. Heart aches, as from some great sorrow. Eyes feel

as if had been crying a long time, as if swollen, burning. Very

sensitive to cold, easily chilled. Chills down the back and both legs.

Ends with a very tranquil feeling, particularly of consciousness. Next

morning, tight feeling of patella. Joints all feel constricted and sore.



No. 3. Very chilly. Can't endure cold at all. Other symptoms not

recorded.



In all three, pains and chilliness much increased by moving about.



No. 1. Subsequently her muscular condition was much improved. Her

muscles did not ache from work as formerly.



A cut bled less freely than usual, bled scarcely any, and healed very

quickly.