Squill, or Urginea maritima of the plant family liliaceae, is a powerful expectorant used in chronic bronchitis, especially where there is little sputum production, which causes a dry irritable cough. A more fluid mucous secretion in produced with Squill, which in turn facilitates an easier expectoration. The mucilage content eases and relaxes brinchiole passages, thereby balancing the stimulation of the glycosides. Squill may be used in bronchial asthma and whooping cough. It has a stimulating action on the heart and has been used for aiding cases of heart failure and water retention when there is heart involvement. Soon after the flowering of the plant, the bulb should be collected Preparation and Dosage:
  • Taken as a tea, the dose is quite small, only 0.06-0.2 grams of the bulb. As this is a minute quantity, make 500 milliliters per one pint of the infusion as a time by pouring this amount of boiling water onto 1/2 - 1 teaspoonful of the bulb. Let infuse for 10-15 minutes. Store the liquid in a refrigerator and drink a cup three times a day.
  • As a tincture, take 1/2 - 1 ml of the tincture three times daily.
Constituents: Cardiac glycoside, mucilage, tannin Actions: Expectorant, cathartic, emetic, cardioactive, diuretic. Combinations: For bronchitis it may be used with White Horehound and Coltsfoot; for whooping cough with Sundew

Squill (?), n. [F. squille (also scille a squill, in sense 1), L. squilla, scilla, Gr. .]

1. Bot. (a)

A European bulbous liliaceous plant (Urginea, formerly Scilla, maritima), of acrid, expectorant, diuretic, and emetic properties used in medicine. Called also sea onion.

(b)

Any bulbous plant of the genus Scilla; as, the bluebell squill (S. mutans).

2. Zool. (a)

A squilla.

(b)

A mantis.

 

© Webster 1913.

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