Clematis.

CLEMATIS, L. Virgin bower. Almost all the species medical like Cl. flammula, Cl. vitalba, and Cl. recta of Europe; the bark, leaves and blossoms acrid, raising blisters on the skin; a corrosive poison internally, loses the virulence by coction and dessication. The extract used for osteocopic pains, dose 1 or 2 grains; frictions of an oily liniment cure the itch. Our Cl. virginica and Cl. viorna also used as diuretic and sudorific, for chronic rheumatism, palsy, and ulcers in minute doses. All ornamental vines. The flowers hold a peculiar substance, Clematine, similar to gluten. Bruised green leaves used by our empirics as escharotic for foul venereal ulcers, and detergent of other sores.


Medical Flora, or Manual of the Medical Botany of the United States of North America, Vol. 2, 1830, was written by C. S. Rafinesque.