Castanea Vesca. Chestnut.

Description: This is the lofty chestnut-tree so abundant in many portions of our country, and valued for its sweet nuts. Its alternate leaves are from five to eight inches long, smooth, coarsely serrate, with the serratures mucronate. Flowers monoecious, without corollas; the sterile in long and drooping cylindrical aments; the fertile in clusters of three, inclosed in a four-lobed involucre, which in the ripe fruit becomes thick and leathery, beset with prickles, and becoming a burr inclosing from one to three nuts.

Properties and Uses: The leaves of this tree are a mild astringent tonic, with moderate stimulating properties. They are a very popular remedy among Eastern midwives for arresting hemorrhage, staying lochia, and abating recent menorrhagia. They are mild in action, but unquestionably good in such cases; and their gentle tonic influence is an advantage in using them. Probably they would be of service in sub-acute and chronic diarrhea and dysentery. An ounce of the leaves may be steeped in a quart of boiling water, and used freely.

The Physiomedical Dispensatory, 1869, was written by William Cook, M.D.
It was scanned by Paul Bergner at http://medherb.com