Monograph on lilium tigrinum / by Wm. E. Payne.

4 ILIU'M TIGRINUr.M
But the botanical distinctions are very marked, and easily recognized by those who have but a limited knowledge of botany.
The Tiger Lily, so far as known, has been regarded and cul
tivated only as a garden ornament. But it has been long known
to botanists as belonging to a tribe of plants which has furnished
several therapeutic agents of great value, of which the Aloe;
Allium Sativum, (garlic ); Allium Cepa, ( onion); Scillse Maratima, (squill); Asparaguls; Draccena Draco, (dragon's blood);
and Convallaria polygonatum (Solomon's seal); are conspicuous
examples. The Lilium Candiumrn, (white lily), which belongs to
the same family, is also traditionally credited with important
uterine medicinal properties.
In view, then, of this botanical relationship the inference was
entirely legitimate that the Lilium Tigrinum possessed valuable
medicinal properties. The reported death of a child in convulsions by eating the pollen of the flower, suggested the idea of
proving the drug, and the hope of finding in it additional means
of combatting the sometimes lormidable convulsions arising from
acute and chronic meningeal irritation, prompted the execution
of the work. Though the hope is not realized in the proving, yet
the promise in a class of diseases, which from their multiplicity
have become the bane of female happiness, is sufficiently strong
to inspire confident expectations that this drug will henceforth
hold an important place in the Homceopathic Materia Medica.
The provings, fifteen in all, were made with the tinctures, or
attenuations prepared therefrom, of either the whole plant with
the flowers combined, or the pollen alone, gathered in the months
of August and September, when the plant was in full maturity.
No difference was observed in the disease-begetting power of
the plant and the pollen. Both seemed equally potent in developing symptoms.
Several of the provings were made under the supervision of
our able colleague, Prof. Carroll Dunham, of New York city,
the most important of which is indicated by the letter WV; one,
a very valuable proving, indicated by the letter F, under the direction of Dr. Win. Gallupe, of Bangor, Maine, who is a careful
observer; and one, indicated by the letter Y, under the eye of
Dr. J. W. Savage, of Wiscasset, Maine, to each of whom, on behalf of the profession, as well as in acknowledgement of personal
favors, I return sincere thanks.