Ambrosia Artemisiæfolia

Ambrosia arteraisiaefolia, L.

Natural order, Compositae.

Common name, Rag-weed.

Dr. E. J. Marsh, New Remedies, vol. v, 1876, p. 273.

For the past three years I have experimented, intentionally and accidentally, and produced all the earlier symptoms of hay fever, severe coryza, etc., b}' the direct application of the pollen to the mucous membrane of the nose. For instance, last week, I wished to observe the pollen of another variety of Ambrosia “ trifolia” or giant rag-weed. 1 gathered a few heads and put them in water to ripen, then examining the dust pollen under a microscope, and not taking care to prevent it flying in the air, suffered all that day with coryza. I tried the experiment two years ago in the same way, by ripening it prematurely, while I was still well and unaffected, and with the same serious consequences. After going to the White Mountains, and being entirely recovered, I found a small patch of rag-weed, and with another victim made the same experiment, and equally successfully, so successfully that we suffered several days.