ASA'RUM, a genus of plants belonging to the natural order Aris tolochiacar, distinguished by having the calyx bell-shaped and lobed ; the stamens placed upon the ovarium, the anthers adnate to the middle of the filaments, the style short, stigma stellate, and 6 lobed ; the fruit capsular and 6-celled. The A. Euroyeum is known by having two obtuse kidney-shaped leaves on each stem. It is a perennial plant, found in woods in different parts of Britain. The root, which is employed under the name of Asarabacca,. contains a camphor-like principle, and a bitter principle called Asarm, which is combined with gallic acid. To these it is indebted for its action on the human system. Taken into the stomach in a state of very fine powder, it causes vomiting; in coarser powder, it generally purges. It was formerly employed as an emetic instead of ipecacuanha; but, from the violence of its effects, it is now properly laid aside in medical practice: it is still however used in veterinary medicine, to vomit and purge. The fine powder applied to the nostrils causes sneezing, and
a flow of mucus from the membrane which lines those parts It is therefore extensively employed as an crrhine, and is the Basis or chief ingredient of many cephalic snuffs. It is used in chronic inflamina time, and some other diseases of the eye, and in headaches. Where these last ariao from disorders of the digestive ftuiction, such means; can be of no avail : where they are connectsd with congestion or fullness of the vessels of the head, the increased discharge from the Schneiderian membrane may give temporary relief in the mine way as a few drops of blood flowing spontaneously from the nose, or obtained by puncturing the membrane. When taken into the stomach in considerable quantity, it acts as a poison.