The Botanist's Companion, Volume II / Or an Introduction to the Knowledge of Practical Botany, and the Uses of Plants. Either Growing Wild in Great Britain, or Cultivated for the Puroses of Agriculture, Medicine, Rural Oeconomy, or the Arts

by William Salisbury

SECT. VII.—PLANTS USEFUL IN MEDICINE.

The initial letters in this class distinguish the Pharmacopoeia in which each plant is inserted.

"By the wise and unchangeable laws of Nature established by a Being infinitely good and infinitely powerful,—not only man, the lord of the creation, 'fair form who wears sweet smiles, and looks erect on heaven,' but every subordinate being becomes subject to decay and death: pain and disease, the inheritance of mortality, usually accelerate his dissolution. To combat these, to alleviate when it has not the power to avert, Medicine, honoured art! comes to our assistance.

"It will not be expected that we should here give a history of this ancient practice, or draw a parallel betwixt the success of former physicians and those of modern times: all that concerns us to remark is, that the ancients were infinitely more indebted to the vegetable kingdom for the materials of their art than the moderns. Not so well acquainted with the oeconomy of nature, which teaches us that plants were chiefly destined for the food of various animals, they sought in every herb some latent healing virtue, and frequently endeavoured to make up the want of efficacy in one by the combination of numbers: hence the extreme length of their farraginous prescriptions. More enlightened ideas of the operations of medicine have taught the moderns greater simplicity and conciseness in practice. Perhaps there is a danger that this simplicity may be carried to far, and become finally detrimental to the practice."

The above is quoted from the Preface to a Catalogue of Medicinal Plants published by my predecessor in 1783: and it may be observed, that the medical student has, at the present season, a still less number of plants to store up in memory, owing, probably, to the great advances that chemistry has made in the mean time, through which mineral articles in many instances have superseded those of the vegetable kingdom. But, nevertheless, as Dr. Woodville has justly observed, "it would be difficult to show that this preference is supported by any conclusive reasoning drawn from a comparative superiority of the former;" or that the more general use of them has led to greater success in the practice of the healing art. It is however evident, that we have much to regret the almost total neglect of the study of medical botany by the younger branches of the professors of physic, when we are credibly informed that Cow-parsley has been administered for Hemlock, and Foxglove has been substituted for Coltsfoot [Footnote: See the account of a dreadful accident of this nature, in Gent. Mag. for Sept. 1815.], from which circumstance, some valuable lives have been sacrificed. It is therefore high time that those persons who are engaged in the business of pharmacy should be obliged to become so far acquainted with plants, as to be able to distinguish at sight all such as are useful in diet or medicine, and more particularly such as are of poisonous qualities.

The medical student has so many subjects for his consideration, that it is not desirable he should have a greater number of vegetables to consult than are necessary. And we cannot help lamenting the difficulty he has to struggle with in consequence of the great difference of names which the Pharmacopoeias of the present day exhibit. The London, Edinburgh, and Dublin, in many instances, enforce the necessity of learning a different term in each for the same thing, and none of which are called by the same they were twenty years ago. Surely it would be the means of forwarding the knowledge of drugs, if each could be distinguished by one general term.

The candidate for medical knowledge, however, is not the only one who has at times to regret this confusion of names. The Linnaean system is an easy and delightful path to the knowledge of plants; but, like all other human structures, it has its imperfections, and some of which have been modified by judicious alterations. Yet the teachers of this science, as well as the students, have often to deprecate the unnecessary change in names which has been made by many writers, though., in many cases, no more reason appears for it than there generally would be to change Christian and surnames of persons.

In the following section, I shall enumerate and describe those plants which are contained in the lists of the three colleges; and afterwards a separate list of those which, although they have been expunged, are still sometimes used by medical men.

I shall also endeavour to give such descriptions as are concise, at the same time sufficient for general knowledge, and for which reason I have taken Lewis's Materia Medica for my text, unless where improvements have been made in certain subjects I have consulted more modern authorities. It should be observed, that writers on medical plants, with few exceptions, have copied from one another: or with a little alteration as to words only.

And as some vegetables, from their affinitiy, may be confounded with others, whereby those possessing medical qualities may be substituted for others having none, or even poisonous ones, I shall in some instances enumerate a list of similar plants, which, with attention to their botanical characters, it is hoped will prevent those dangerous errors we have lately witnessed. As it is our business, in demonstrating plants, to guard the student against such confusion, it will be proper that specimens of such as come under this head be preserved, as a work for reference and contrast wherever doubts may arise.

158. ACONITUM Napellus. COMMON BLUE MONKSHOOD. The Leaves. L. E.—Every part of the fresh plant is strongly poisonous, but the root is unquestionably the most powerful, and when chewed at first imparts a slight sensation of acrimony, and a pungent heat of the lips, gums, palate and fauces, which is succeeded by a general tremor and sensation of chilliness.

This plant has been generally prepared as an extract or inspissated juice, after the manner directed in the Edinburgh and many of the foreign Pharmacopoeias, and, like all virulent medicines, it should be first administered in small doses. Stoerck recommends two grains of the extract to be rubbed into a powder with two drums of sugar, and as a dose to begin with ten grains of this powder two or three times a-day.

Similar Plants.—Aconitum japonicum; A. pyrenaicum; Delphinium elatum;
D. exallatum.

Instead of the extract, a tincture has been made of the dried leaves macerated in six times their weight of spirit of wine, and forty drops given for a dose.—Woodville's Med. Bot. 965.

The Dublin College has ordered the Aconitum Neomontanum, which is not common in this country [Footnote: In plants of so very poisonous a nature as the Aconite, it is the duty of every one who describes them to be particular. Here seems to have been a confusion. The A. Neomontanum is figured in Jacquin's Fl. Austriaca, fasc. 4. p. 381; and the first edition of Hortus Kewensis under A. Napellus erroneously quotes that figure: but both Gmelin in Syst. Vegetabilium, p. 838, and Wildenow in Spec. Plant. p. 1236, quote it under its proper name, A. Neomontanum. Now the fact is, that the Napellus is the Common Blue Monkshood; and the Neomontanum is altogether left out of the second edition of the Hortus Kewensis for the best of all reasons, it is not in this country; or, if it is, it must be very scarce, and, of course, not the plant used in medicine.].

160. ACORCUS Calamus. SWEET RUSH. The Root. L.—It is generally looked upon as a carminative and stomachic medicine, and as such is sometimes made use of in practice. It is said by some to be superior in aromatic flavour to any other vegetable that is produced in these northern climates; but such as I have had an opportunity of examining, fell short, in this respect, of several of our common plants. It is, nevertheless, a sufficiently elegant aromatic. It used to be an ingredient in the Mithridate and Theriaca of the London Pharmacopoeia, and in the Edinburgh. The fresh root candied after the manner directed in our Dispensatory for candying eryngo root, is said to be employed at Constantinople as a preservative against epidemic diseases. The leaves of this plant have a sweet fragrant smell, more agreeable, though weaker, than that of the roots.—Lewis's Mat. Med.

161. AESCULUS Hippocastanum. HORSE-CHESNUT. The Bark and Seed. E. D.— With a view to its errhine power, the Edinburgh College has introduced the seeds into the Materia Medica, as a small portion of the powder snuffed up the nostrils readily excites sneezing; even the infusion or decoction of this fruit produces this effect; it has therefore been recommended for the purpose of producing a discharge from the nose, which, in some complaints of the head and eyes is found to be of considerable benefit.

On the continent, the Bark of the Horse Chesnut-tree is held in great estimation as a febrifuge; and, upon the credit of several respectable authors, appears to be a medicine of great efficacy.—Woodville's Med. Bot. 615.

162. AGRIMONIA Eupatoria. COMMON AGRIMONY. The Herb. D.—The leaves have an herbaceous, somewhat acrid, roughish taste, accompanied with an aromatic flavour. Agrimony is said to be aperient, detergent, and to strengthen the tone of the viscera: hence it is recommended in scorbutic disorders, in debility and laxity of the intestines, &c. Digested in whey, it affords an useful diet-drink for the spring season, not ungrateful to the palate or stomach.

163. ALLIUM Porrum. LEEK. The Root. L.—This participates of the virtues of garlic, from which it differs chiefly in being much weaker. See the article ALLIUM.

164. ALLIUM sativum. GARLIC. The Root. L. E. D.—This pungent root warms and stimulates the solids, and attenuates tenacious juices. Hence in cold leucophelgmatic habits it proves a powerful expectorant, diuretic, and emmenagogue; and, if the patient is kept warm, sudorific. In humoral asthmas, and catarrhous disorders of the breast, in some scurvies, flatulent colics, hysterical and other diseases proceeding from laxity of the solids, and cold sluggish indisposition of the fluids, it has generally good effects: it has likewise been found serviceable in some hydropic cases. Sydenham relates, that he has known the dropsy cured by the use of garlic alone; he recommends it chiefly as a warm strengthening medicine in the beginning of the disease.

Garlic made into an unguent with oils, &c. and applied externally, is said to resolve and discuss cold tumors, and has been by some greatly esteemed in cutaneous diseases. It has likewise sometimes been employed as a repellent. Sydenham assures us, that among all the substances which occasion a derivation or revulsion from the head, none operate more powerfully than garlic applied to the soles of the feet: hence he was led to make use of it in the confluent small-pox about the eighth day, after the face began to swell; the root cut in pieces, and tied in a linen cloth, was applied to the soles, and renewed once a day till all danger was over.

165. ALLIUM Cepa. ONION. The Root. D.—These roots are considered rather as articles of food than of medicine: they are supposed to afford little or no nourishment, and when eaten liberally they produce flatulencies, occasion thirst, headachs, and turbulent dreams: in cold phlegmatic habits, where viscid mucus abounds, they doubtless have their use; as by their stimulating quality they tend to excite appetite, attenuate thick juices, and promote their expulsion: by some they are strongly recommended in suppressions of urine and in dropsies. The chief medicinal use of onions in the present practice is in external applications, as a cataplasm for suppurating tumours, &c.

166. ALTHAEA officinalis. MARSH-MALLOW. The Leaves and Root. L.—This plant has the general virtues of an emollient medicine; and proves serviceable in a thin acrimonious state of the juices, and where the natural mucus of the intestines is abraded. It is chiefly recommended in sharp defluxions upon the lungs, hoarseness, dysenteries, and likewise in nephritic and calculous complaints; not, as some have supposed, that this medicine has any peculiar power of dissolving or expelling the calculus; but as, by lubricating and relaxing the vessels, it procures a more free and easy passage. Althaea root is sometimes employed externally for softening and maturing hard tumours: chewed, it is said to give ease in difficult dentition of children.

The officinal preparations are:-Decoctio Althaeae officinalis, and Syrupus
Althaeae.

Similar Plants.—Malva officinalis; M. rotundifolia; M. mauritanica;
Lavatera arborscens.

This root gives name to an officinal syrup [L. E.] and ointment [L.] and is likewise an ingredient in the compound powder of gum tragacanth [L. E.] and the oil and plaster of mucilages [L.] though it does not appear to communicate any particular virtue to the two last, its mucilaginous matter not being dissoluble in oils.—Lewis's Mat. Med.

167. AMYGDALUS communis. SWEET and BITTER ALMONDS. L. E. D.—The oils obtained by expression from both sorts of almonds are in their sensible qualities the same. The general virtues of these oils are, to blunt acrimonious humours, and to soften and relax the solids: hence their use internally, in tickling coughs, heat of urine, pains and inflammations: and externally in tension and rigidity of particular parts.

168. ANCHUSA tinctoria. ALKANET-ROOT. E. D.—Alkanet-root has little or no smell: when recent, it has a bitterish astringent taste, but when dried scarcely any. As to its virtues, the present practice expects not any from it. Its chief use is for colouring oils, unguents, and plasters. As the colour is confined to the cortical part, the small roots are best, these having proportionally more bark than the large.

169. ANETHUM graveolens. DILL. The Seeds. L.—Their taste is moderately warm and pungent; their smell aromatic, but not of the most agreeable kind. These seeds are recommended as a carminative, in flatulent colics proceeding from a cold cause or a viscidity of the juices. The most efficacious preparations of them are, the distilled oil, and a tincture or extract made with rectified spirit. The oil and simple water distilled from them are kept in the shops.—Lewis.

170. ANETHUM Foeniculum. FENNEL. Seeds. E.—These are supposed to be stomachic and carminative; but this, and indeed all the other effects ascribed to them, as depending upon their stimulant and aromatic qualities, must be less considerable than those of Dill, Aniseed, or Caraway, though termed one of the four greater hot seeds.—Woodville's Med. Bot. p. 129.

171. ANGELICA Archangelica. GARDEN ANGELICA. The Root, Leaves, and Seeds. E.—All the parts of Angelica, especially the roots, have a fragrant aromatic smell, and a pleasant bitterish warm taste, glowing upon the lips and palate for a long time after they have been chewed. The flavour of the seeds and leaves is very perishable, particularly that of the latter, which, on being barely dried, lose greatest part of their taste and smell: the roots are more tenacious of their flavour, though even these lose part of it upon keeping. The fresh root, wounded early in the spring, yields and odorous yellow juice, which slowly exsiccated proves an elegant gummy resin, very rich in the virtues of the Angelica. On drying the root, this juice concretes into distinct moleculae, which, on cutting it longitudinally, appear distributed in little veins: in this state they are extracted by pure spirit, but not by watery liquors.

This resin is considered one of the most elegant aromatics of European growth, though little regarded in the present practice, and is rarely met with in prescription; neither does it enter any officinal composition.

172. ANTHEMIS nobilis. CHAMOMILE. The Flowers. L.E.D.—These have a strong not ungrateful, aromatic smell, but a very bitter nauseous taste. They are accounted carminative, aperient, emollient, and in some measure anodyne: and stand recommended in flatulent colics, for promoting the uterine purgations, in spasmodic affections, and the pains of women in child-bed: sometimes they have been employed in intermittent fevers, and the nephritis. These flowers are also frequently used externally in discutient and antiseptic fomentations, and in emollient glysters. The double-flowered variety is usually cultivated for medicine, but the wild kind with single flowers is preferable.

Similar Plants.—Anthemis arvensis; A. Cotula; Pyrethrum maritimum.

173. ANTHEMIS Pyrethrum. PELLITORY OF SPAIN. The Root. L.—The principal use of Pyrethrum in the present practice is as a masticatory, for promoting the salival flux, and evacuating viscid humours from the head and neighbouring parts: by this means it very generally relieves the tooth-ach, pains of the head, and lethargic complaints. If a piece of the root, the size of a pea, be placed against the tooth, it instantly causes the saliva to flow from the surrounding glands, and gives immediate relief in all cases of that malady.

174. APIUM Petroselium. COMMON PARSLEY. The Root. E.—Both the roots and seeds of Parsley are directed by the London College for medicinal use: the former have a sweetish taste, accompanied with a slight warmth of flavour somewhat resembling that of a carrot; the latter are in taste warmer and more aromatic than any other part of the plant, and also manifest considerable bittenress.

These roots are said to be aperient and diuretic, and have been employed in apozems to relieve nephritic pains, and obstructions of urine.

Although Parsley is commonly used at table, it is remarkable that facts have been adducted to prove, that in some constitutions it occasions epilepsy, or at least aggravates the epileptic fit in those who are subject to this disease. It has been supposed also to produce inflammation in the eyes.—Woodville's Med. Bot. p. 43. A variety which produces larger roots, called Hamburgh Parsley, is commonly grown for medicinal uses.

175. ARBUTUS Uva Ursi. TRAILING ARBUTUS or BEAR-BERRY. The Leaves.—This first drew the attention of physicians as an useful remedy in calculous and nephritic affections; and in the years 1763 and 1764, by the concurrent testimonies of different authors, it acquired remarkable celebrity, not only for its efficacy in gravelly complaints, but in almost every other to which the urinary organs are liable, as ulcers of the kidneys and bladder, cystirrhoea, diabetes, &c. It may be employed either in powder or decoction; the former is most commonly preferred, and given in doses from a scruple to a dram two or three times a-day.— Woodville's Med. Botany.

176. ARNICA montana. MOUNTAIN ARNICA. The whole Plant. E. D.—The odour of the fresh plant is rather unpleasant, and the taste acrid, herbaceous, and astringent; and the powdered leaves act as a strong sternutatory.

This plant, according to Bergius, is an emetic, errhine, diuretic, diaphoretic, emmenagogue; and from its supposed power of attenuating the blood, it has been esteemed so peculiarly efficacious in obviating the bad consequences occasioned by falls and bruises, that it obtained the appellation of Panacea Lapsorum.—Woodville's Med. Bot. p. 43.

177. ARTEMISIA Absinthium. WORMWOOD, The Herb. L.—Wormwood is a strong bitter; and was formerly much used as such against weakness of the stomach, and the like, in medicated wines and ales. At present it is rarely employed in these intentions, on account of the ill relish and offensive smell which it is accompanied with. These it may be in part freed from by keeping, and totally by long coction, the bitter remaining entire. An extract made by boiling the leaves in a large quantity of water, and evaporating the liquor with a strong fire, proves a bitter sufficiently grateful, without any disgustful flavour.

178. ARTEMISIA Abrotanum. SOUTHERNWOOD. Leaves. D.—Southernwood has a strong, not very disagreeable smell; and a nauseous, pungent, bitter taste; which is totally extracted by rectified spirit, less perfectly by watery liquors. It is recommended as an anthelmintic; and in cold lencophlegmatic habits, as a stimulant, detergent, aperient, and sudorific. The present practice has almost entirely confined its use to external applications. The leaves are frequently employed in discutient and antiseptic fomentations; and have been recommended also in lotions and unguents for cutaneous eruptions, and the falling off of the hair.

179. ARTEMISIA maritima. SEA WORMWOOD. Tops. D.—In taste and smell, it is weaker and less unpleasant than the common worm-wood. The virutes of both are supposed to be of the same kind, and to differ only in strength.

The tops used to enter three of our distilled waters, and give name to a conserve. They are an ingredient also in the common fomentation and green oil.

180. ARTEMISIA Santonica. ROMAN WORMWOOD. Seeds. E. D.—It is a native of the warmer countries, and at present difficultly procurable in this, though as hardy and as easily raised as any of the other sorts. Sea wormwood has long supplied its place in the markets, and been in general mistaken for it.

Roman wormwood is less ungrateful than either of the others: its smell is tolerably pleasant: the taste, though manifestly bitter, scarcely disagreeable. It appears to be the most eligible of the three as a stomachic; and is likewise recommended by some in dropsies.

181. ARUM maculatum. BITING ARUM. Fresh Root. L. E.—This root is a powerful stimulant and attenuant. It is reckoned a medicine of great efficacy in some cachectic and chlorotic cases; in weakness of the stomach occasioned by a load of viscid phlegm, and in such disorders in general as proceed from a cold sluggish indisposition of the solids and lentor of the fluids. I have experienced great benefit from it in rheumatic pains, particularly those of the fixed kind, and which were seated deep. In these cases I have given from ten grains to a scruple of the fresh root twice or thrice a day, made into a bolus or emulsion with unctuous and mucilaginous substances, which cover its pungency, and prevent its making any painful impression on the tongue. It generally excited a slight tingling sensation through the whole habit, and, when the patient was kept warm in bed, produced a copious sweat.

The only officinal preparation, in which this root was an ingredient, was a compound powder; in which form its virtues are very precarious. Some recommend a tincture of it drawn with wine; but neither wine, water, nor spirit, extract its virtues.—Lewis's Mat. Med.

182. ASARUM Europaeum, ASARABACCA. The Leaves. L. E. D.—Both the roots and leaves have a nauseous, bitter, acrimonious, hot taste; their smell is strong, and not very disagreeable. Given in substance from half a dram to a dram, they evacuate powerfully both upwards and downwards. It is said that tinctures made in spirituous menstrua possess both the emetic and cathartic virtues of the plant: that the extract obtained by inspissating these tinctures acts only by vomit, and with great mildness: that an infusion in water proves cathartic, rarely emetic: that aqueous decoctions made by long boiling, and the watery extract, have no purgative or emetic quality, but prove notable diaphoretics, diuretics, and emmenagogues.

Its principal use at present is as a sternutatory. The root of asarum is perhaps the strongest of all the vegetable errhines, white hellebore itself not excepted. Snuffed up the nose, in the quantity of a grain or two, it occasions a large evacuation of mucus, and raises a plentiful spitting. The leaves are considerably milder, and may be used to the quantity of three, four, or five grains. Geoffroy relates, that after snuffing up a dose of this errhine at night, he has frequently observed the discharge from the nose to continue for three days together; and that he has known a paralysis of the mouth and tongue cured by one dose. He recommends this medicine in stubborn disorders of the head, proceeding from viscid tenacious matter, in palsies, and in soporific distempers. The leaves are an ingredient in the pulvis sternutatoris of the shops.

183. ASPIDIUM Filix-Mas. Polypodium, Linn. MALE FERN. The Roots. L. E. D.—They are said to be aperient and anthelmintic. Simon Pauli tells us, that they have been the grand secret of some empirics against the broad kind of worms called taenia; and that the dose is one, two, or three drams of the powder. Two other kinds of Ferns used to be recommended; but this, being the strongest, has therefore been made choice of in preference, though the College of Edinburgh still retain them in their Catalogue of Simples.—Lewis's Mat. Med.

184. ASTRAGALUS Tragacanthus. GOATS-THORN. The Gum. L. E. D.—This gum is of a strong body, and does not perfectly dissolve in water. A dram will give to a pint of water the consistence of a syrup, which a whole ounce of gum Arabic is scarce sufficient to do. Hence its use for forming troches, and the like purposes, in preference to the other gums. It is used in an officinal powder, and is an ingredient in the compound powders of ceruss and amber.—Lewis's Mat. Med.

185. ATROPA Belladonna. DEADLY NIGHTSHADE. The Leaves, L. E. D.— Belladonna was first employed as an external application, in the form of fomentation, to scirrhus and cancer. It was afterwards administered internally in the same affections; and numerous cases, in which it had proved successful, were given on the authority of the German practitioners. It has been recommended, too, as a remedy in extensive ulceration, in paralysis, chronic rheumatism, epilepsy, mania, and hydrophobia, but with so little discrimination, that little reliance can be placed on the testimonies in its favour; and, in modern practice, it is little employed. It appears to have a peculiar action on the eye: hence it has been used in amaurosis; and from its power of causing dilatation of the pupil, when topically applied under the form of infusion, it has been used before performing the operation for cataract. A practice which is hazardous, as the pupil, though much dilated by the application, instantly contracts when the instrument is introduced. When given internally, its dose is from one to three grains of the dried leaves, or one grain of the inspissated juice.—Murray's Mat. Med. p. 174.

I have had a cancer of the lip entirely cured by it: a scirrhosity in a woman's breast, of such kind as frequently proceeds to cancer, I have found entirely discussed by the use of it. A sore, a little below the eye, which had put on a cancerous appearance, was much mended by the internal use of the Belladonna; but the patient having learned somewhat of the poisonous nature of the medicine, refused to continue the use of it; upon which the sore grain spread, and was painful; but, upon a return to the use of the Belladonna, was again mended to a considerable degree; when the same fears again returning, the use of it was again laid aside, and with the same consequence, the sore becoming worse. Of these alternate states, connected with the alternate use of and abstinence from the Belladonna, there were several of these alterations which fell under my own observation [Footnote: See the Poisonous Plants, in a future page].—Cullen's Mat. Med. vol. ii. p. 270.

186. CARDAMINE pratensis. LADIES SMOCK. The Leaves. L. E. D.—Long ago it was employed as a diuretic; and, of late, it has been introduced in nervous diseases, as epilepsy, hysteria, choraea, asthma, &c. A dram or two of the powder is given twice or thrice a-day. It has little sensible operation.

187. CARUM Carui. CARAWAY. The Seeds. L. E. D.—These are in the number of the four greater hot seeds; and frequently employed as a stomachic and carminative in flatulent colics, and the like. Their officinal preparations are an essential oil and a spiritous water; they were used as ingredients also in the compound juniper water, tincture of sena, stomachic tincture, oxymel of garlic, electuary of bayberries and of scammony, and the cummin-seed plaster.

188. CENTAUREA benedicta. BLESSED THISTLE. The Leaves. E. D.—The herb should be gathered when in flower, great care taken in drying it, and kept in a very dry airy place, to prevent its rotting or growing mouldy, which it is very apt to do. The leaves have a penetrating bitter taste, not very strong or very durable, accompanied with an ungrateful flavour, which they are in great measure freed from by keeping.

The virtues of this plant seem to be little known in the present practice. We have frequently experienced excellent effects from a light infusion of carduus in loss of appetite, where the stomach was injured by irregularities. A stronger infusion made in cold or warm water, if drunk freely, and the patient kept warm, occasions a plentiful sweat, and promotes all the secretions in general.

The seeds of this plant are also considerably bitter, and have been sometimes used for the same purposes as the leaves.

189. CHIRONIA Centaurium. LESSER CENTAURY. The Tops. L. E. D.—This is justly esteemed to be the most efficacious bitter of all the medicinal plants indigenous to this country. It has been recommended as a substitute for Gentian, and, by several, thought to be a more useful medicine: experiments have also shown it to possess an equal degree of antiseptic power.

Many authors have observed, that, along with the tonic and stomachic qualities of a bitter, Centaury frequently proves cathartic; but it is possible that this seldom happens, unless it be taken in very large doses. The use of this, as well as of the other bitters, was formerly common in febrile disorders previous to the knowledge of Peruvian-bark, which now supersedes them perhaps too generally; for many cases of fever occur which are found to be aggravated by the Cinchona, yet afterwards readily yield to the simple bitters.—Woodville, p. 277.

190. COCHLEARIA officinalis. SCURVY-GRASS. The Herb. E.—Is antiseptic, attenuant, aperient, and diuretic, and is said to open obstructions of the viscera and remoter glands, without heating or irritating the system. It has long been considered as the most effectual of all the antiscorbutic plants; and its sensible qualities are sufficiently powerful to confirm this opinion. In the rheumatismus vagus, called by Sydenham Rheumatismus scorbuticus, consisting of wandering pains of long continuance, accompanied with fever, this plant, combined with Arum and Wood-Sorrel, is highly commended both by Sydenham and Lewis.

We have testimony of its great use in scurvy, not only from physicians, but navigators; as Anson, Linschoten, Maartens, Egede, and others. And it has been justly noticed, that this plant grows plentifully in those high latitudes where the scurvy is most obnoxious. Forster found it in great abundance in the islands of the South Seas.—Woodville, p. 395.

191. COCHLEARIA Armoracia. HORSE-RADISH. The Root. E.-The medical effects of this root are, to stimulate the solids, attenuate the juices, and promote the fluid secretions: it seems to extend its action through the whole habit, and affect the minutest glands. It has frequently done great service in some kinds of scurvies and other chronic disorders proceeding from a viscidity of the juices, or obstructions of the excretory ducts. Sydenham recommends it likewise in dropsies, particularly those which sometimes follow intermittent fevers. Both water and rectified spirit extract the virtues of this root by infusion, and elevate them in distillation: along with the aqueous fluid an essential oil arises, possessing the whole taste and pungency of the horse-radish. The College have given us a very elegant compound water, which takes its name from this root.

192. COLCHICUM autumnale. MEADOW-SAFFRON. The Roots. L. E. D.—The roots, freed from the outer blackish coat and fibres below, are white, and full of a white juice. In drying they become wrinkled and dark coloured. Applied to the skin, it shows some signs of acrimony; and taken internally, it is said sometimes to excite a sense of burning heat, bloody stools, and other violent symptoms. In the form of syrup, however, it has been given to the extent of two ounces a-day without any bad consequence. It is sometimes employed as a diuretic in dropsy. It is now supposed to be a principal ingredient in the celebrated French gout medicine L'Eau Medicinale.

193. CONIUM maculatum. HEMLOCK. The Leaves. L. E. D.—Physicians seem somewhat in dispute about the best mode of exhibiting this medicine; some recommending the extract, as being most easily taken in the form of pills; others the powder, as not being subject to that variation which the extract is liable to, from being made in different ways. With respect to the period, likewise, at which the plant should be gathered, they seem not perfectly agreed; some recommending it when in its full vigour, and just coming into bloom, and others, when the flowers are going off. An extract of the green plant is ordered by the College in their last list. Dr. Cullen has for many years commended the making it from the unripe seeds; and this mode the College of Physicians at Edinburgh have thought proper to adopt in their late Pharmacopoeia.

Similar Plants.—Aethusa Cynapium; Apium Petroselium; Oenanthe crocata;
Oe. fistulosa; Phellandrium aquaticum.

194. CORIANDRUM sativum. CORIANDER. The Seeds. L. E. D.-These, when fresh, have a strong disagreeable smell, which improves by drying, and becomes sufficiently grateful. They are recommmended as carminative and stomachic.

195. CROCUS sativus. TRUE SAFFRON. The Stigmata. L. E. D.—There are three sorts of saffron met with in the shops, two of which are brought from abroad, the other is the produce of our own country. This last is greatly superior to the two former.

This medicine is particularly serviceable in hysteric depressions proceeding from a cold cause, or obstruction of the uterine secretions, where other aromatics, even those of the more generous kind, have little effect. Saffron imparts the whole of its virtue and colour to rectified spirit, proof spirit, wine, vinegar, and water: a tincture used to be drawn with vinegar, but it looses greatly its colour in keeping. There can be little use for preparations of saffron, as the drug itself will keep good for any length of time.

196. CUMINUM Cymini. CUMMIN. The Seeds. L.—Cummin seeds have a bitterish warm taste, accompanied with an aromatic flavour, not of the most agreeable kind. They are accounted good carminatives, but not very often made use of. An essential oil of them used to be kept in the shops, and they gave name to a plaster and cataplasm.—Lewis's Mat. Med.

197. CYNARA Scolymus. ARTICHOKE. The Leaves. E.—The bitter juice of the leaf, mixed with an equal part of Madeira wine, is recommended in an ounce dose night and morning, as a powerful diuretic in dropsy. An infusion of the leaf may likewise be used.

198. DAPHNE Mezereum. THE MEZEREON. The Roots. L. E. D.—This plant is extremely acrid, especially when fresh, and, if retained in the mouth, excites great and long continued heat and inflammation, particularly of the throat and fauces. The bark and berries of Mezereon in different forms have been long externally used to obstinate ulcers and ill conditioned sores. In France, the former is strongly recommended as an application to the skin, which, under certain management, produces a continued serious discharge without blistering, and is thus rendered useful in many chronic diseases of a local nature answering the purpose of what has been called a perpetual blister, while it occasions less pain and inconvenience.

In this country Mezereon is principally employed for the cure of some siphylitic complaints; and in this way Dr. Donald Monro was the first who gave testimony of its efficacy in the successful use of the Lisbon Diet Drink.

The considerable and long-continued heat and irritation that is produced in the throat when Mezereon is chewed, induced Dr. Withering to think of giving it in a case of difficulty of swallowing, seemingly occasioned by a paralytic affection. The patient was directed to chew a thin slice of the root as often as she could bear it, and in about a month recovered her power of swallowing. This woman had suffered the complaint three years, and was greatly reduced, being totally unable to swallow solids, and liquids but very imperfectly.—Woodville's Med. Bot. p. 720.

199. DATURA Stramonium. THORN APPLE. The whole Plant. E.—Dr. Woodville informs us, that an extract of this plant has been the preparation usually employed, and from one to ten grains and upwards a-day: but the powdered leaves after the manner of those directed for hemlock would seem, for the reason given, to be a preparation more certain and convenient.

It has been much celebrated as a medicine in epilepsy and convulsions and mania; but it is of a violent narcotic quality, and extremely dangerous in its effects.

Stramonium has been recommended, as being of considerable use in cases of asthma, on the authority of some eminent physicians of the East Indies; and the late Dr. Roxburgh has stated to me many instances wherein it had performed wonders in that dreadful malady.

The Datura Metal, Purple-flowered Thorn-apple, is much like the Stramonium, except in the flowers and the stalks being of a purple colour. I have made particular inquiry of Dr. Roxburgh if any particular kind was used in preference, and he said not; that both the above sorts were used; and, in fact, not only these, but the Datura Tatula, another species which grows wild there, and is cultivated in our stoves for the sake of its beautiful flowers, is also used for the same purposes.

The mode of using it was by cutting the whole plant up after drying, and smoking it in a common tobacco-pipe; and which, in some cases in this country also, has given great ease in severe attacks; and I know several persons who use it with good effect to this day. In vegetables of such powerful effects as this is known to have, great care ought to be taken in their preparation, which, I fear, is not always so much attended to as the nature of this subject requires [Footnote: See Observations on and Directions for preparing and preserving Herbs in general, et the end of this section.].

200. DAUCUS sylvestris. WILD CARROT. The Seeds. L.—These seeds possess, though not in a very considerable degree, the aromatic qualities common to those of the umbelliferous plants, and hence have long been deemed carminative and emmenagogue; but they are chiefly esteemed for their diuretic powers, and for their utility in calculus and nephritic complaints, in which an infusion of three spoonfuls of the seeds in a pint of boiling water has been recommended; or the seeds may be fermented in malt liquor, which receives from them an agreeable flavour resembling that of the lemon-peel.—Woodville's Med. Bot. p. 132.

Similar Plants.—Sison Amonum; Daucus Carota.

201. DAUCUS Carota. CULTIVATED CARROT. The Roots. L. E. D.—The expressed juice, or a decoction of these roots, has been recommended in calculous complaints, and as a gargle for infants in aphtous affections or excoriations of the mouth; and a poultice of scraped carrots has been found an useful application to phagedenic ulcers, and to cancerous and putrid sores.

202. DELPHINIUM Staphis Agria. STAVES AGRIA. The Seeds. L. D.— Stavesacre was employed by the ancients as a cathartic, but it operates with so much violence both upwards and downwards, that its internal use has been, among the generality of practitioners, for some time laid aside. It is chiefly employed in external applications for some kinds of cutaneous eruptions; and for destroying lice and other insects; insomuch that it has from this virtue received its name in different languages, Herba pedicularis, Herbe aux poux, Lauskraut, Lousewort.

203. DIANTHUS caryophyllus. CLOVE-PINK. The Petals. E.—These flowers are said to be cardiac and alexipharmac. Simon Paulli relates, that he has cured many malignant fevers by the use of a de-coction of them; which he says powerfully promoted sweat and urine without greatly irritating nature, and also raised the spirits and quenched thirst. The flowers are chiefly valued for their pleasant flavour, which is entirely lost even by light coction. Lewis says, the College directed the syrup, which is the only officinal preparation of them, to be made by infusion.

204. DIGITALIS purpurea. FOXGLOVE. The Leaves. L. E. D.—The leaves of Foxglove have a nauseous taste, but no remarkable smell. They have been long used externally to sores and scrophulous tumours with considerable advantage. Its diuretic effects, for which it is now so deservedly received into the Materia Medica, were entirely overlooked. To this discovery Dr. Withering has an undoubted claim; and the numerous cures of dropsy related by him and other practitioners of established reputation, afford incontestable proofs of its diuretic powers, and of its practical importance in the cure of those diseases. The dose of dried leaves in powder is from one grain to three twice a-day; but if a liquid medicine be preferred, a dram of the dried leaves is to be infused for four hours in half a pint of boiling water, adding to the strained liquor an ounce of any spiritous water. One ounce of this infusion given twice a-day is a medium dose; it is to be continued in these doses till it either acts upon the kidneys; the stomach, or the pulse, (which it has a remarkable power of lowering,) or the bowels.— Woodville's Med. Bot. p. 221.

This is now become a very popular medicine, but if used incautiously is attended with danger. Medical practitioners should make themselves perfectly acquainted with this plant, as the leaves are the only part used; and their not being readilly discriminated when separated from the flowers, several accidents have occurred. In the Gent. Mag. for September 1815 is recorded a very extraordinary mistake, where the life of a child was sacrificed to the ignorance of a person who administered this instead of Coltsfoot; a plant so very dissimilar, that, had it not been well authenticated, I should not have believed the fact.

Similar Plants.—Verbascum nigrum; V. Thapsus; Cynoglossum officinale, or, after the above mistake, any other plant with a lanceolate leaf, we fear, may be confounded with it.

205. ERYNGIUM maritimum. SEA-HOLLY. Roots. D.—The roots are slender, and very long; of a pleasant sweetish taste, which on chewing for some time is followed by a light degree of aromatic warmth and acrimony. They are accounted aperient and diuretic, and have also been celebrated as aphrodisiac: their virtues, however, are too weak to admit them under the head of medicines. The candied root is ordered to be kept in the shops.—Lewis's Mat. Med.

206. FERULA assafoetida. ASSAFOETIDA. Gum. L. E. D.—This drug has a strong fetid smell, somewhat like that of garlick; and a bitter, acrid, biting taste. It looses with age of its smell and strength, a circumstance to be particularly regarded in its exhibition. It consists of about one-third part pure resin, and two-thirds of gummy matter; the former soluble in rectified spirit, the other in water. Proof-spirit dissolves almost the whole into a turbid liquor; the tincture in rectified spirit is transparent.

Assafoetida is the strongest of the fetid gums, and of frequent use in hysteric and different kinds of nervous complaints. It is likewise of considerable efficacy in flatulent colics; and for promoting all the fluid secretions in either sex. The ancients attributed to this medicine many other virtues which are at present not expected from it.—Lewis's Mat. Med.

207. FICUS Carica. COMMON FIG. Fruit. L. D.—The recent fruit completely ripe is soft, succulent, and easily digested, unless eaten in immoderate quantities, when it is apt to occasion flatulency, pain of the bowels, and diarrhoea. The dried fruit is pleasanter to the taste, and is more wholesome and nutritive. Figs are supposed to be more nutritious by having their sugar united with a large portion of mucilaginous matter, which, from being thought to be of an oily nature, has been long esteemed an useful demulcent and pectoral; and it is chiefly with a view of these effects that they have been medicinally employed.

208. FRAXINUS Ornus. MANNA. L. E. D.—There are several sorts of Manna in the shops. The larger pieces, called Flake Manna, are usually preferred; though the smaller grains are equally as good, provided they are white, or of a pale yellow colour, very light, of a sweet not unpleasant taste, and free from any visible impurities.

Manna is a mild agreeable laxative, and may be given with saftey to children and pregnant women: nevertheless, in some particular constitutions it acts very unkindly, producing flatulencies and distension of the viscera.—Lewis's Mat. Med.

209. GENTIANA lutea. YELLOW GENTIAN. Root. L. D.—This root is a strong bitter, and, as such, very frequently made use of in practice: in taste it is less exceptionable than most of the other substances of this class: infusions of it, flavoured with orange peel, are sufficiently grateful. It is the capital ingredient in the bitter wine; and a tincture and infusion of it are kept in the shops.

Lewis mentions a poisonous root being mixed among some of the Gentian brought to London; the use of which occasioned in some instances death. This was internally of a white colour, and void of bitterness. There is no doubt but this was the root of the Veratrum album, a poisonous plant so similar, that it might readily be mistaken for it.—Lewis's Mat. Med.

210. GEUM urbanum. COMMON AVENS. Root. D.—This has a warm, bitterish, astringent taste, and a pleasant smell, somewhat of the clove kind, especially in the spring, and when produced in dry warm soils. Parkinson observes, that such as is the growth of moist soils has nothing of this flavour. This root has been employed as a stomachic, and for strengthening the tone of the viscera in general: it is still in some esteem in foreign countries, though not taken notice of among us. It yields, on distillation, an elegant odoriferous essential oil, which concretes into a flaky form.—Lewis's Mat. Med.

Similar Plants.—Geum rivale; G. intermedium.

211. GLYCYRRHIZA glabra. LIQUORICE. Root. L. D.—This is produced plentifully in all the countries of Europe: that which is the growth of our own is preferable to such as comes from abroad; this last being generally mouldy, which this root is very apt to become, unless kept in a dry place.

The powder of liquorice usually sold is often mingled with flower, and, I fear, too often with substances not quite so wholesome. The best sort is of a brownish yellow colour (the fine pale yellow being generally sophisticated) and of a very rich sweet taste, much more agreeable than that of the fresh root. Liquorice is almost the only sweet that quenches thirst.

This root is a very useful pectoral, and excellently softens acrimonious humours, at the same time that it proves gently detergent: and this account is warranted by experience. It is an ingredient in the pectoral syrup, pectoral troches, the compound lime waters, decoction of the woods, compound powder of gum tragacanth, lenitive electuary, and theriaca. An extract is directed to be made from it in the shops; but this preparation is brought chiefly from abroad, though the foreign extract is not equal to such as is made with proper care among ourselves.—Lewis's Mat. Med.

212. GRATIOLA officinalis. HEDGE-HYSSOP. Herb. E. D.—The leaves have a very bitter disagreeable taste: an infusion of a handful of them when fresh, or a dram when dried, is said to operate strongly as a cathartic. Kramer reports that he has found the root of this plant a medicine similar in virtue to Ipecacuanha.

Similar Plants.—Lythrum Salicaria; Scutellaria galericulata.

213. HELLEBORUS niger. BLACK HELLEBORE. Root. L.—The tase of Hellebore is acrid and bitter. Its acrimony, as Dr. Grew observes, is first felt on the tip of the tongue, and then spreads immediately to the middle, without being much perceived on the intermediate part: on chewing it for a few minutes, the tongue seems benumbed, and affected with a kind of paralytic stupor, as when burnt by eating any thing too hot.

Our Hellebore is at present looked upon principally as an alterative, and in this light is frequently employed, in small doses, for attenuating viscid humours, promoting the uterine and urinary discharges, and opening inveterate obstructions of the remoter glands: it often proves a very powerful emmenagogue in plethoric habits, where steel is ineffectual or improper. An extract made from this root with water, is one of the mildest, and for the purposes of a cathartic the most effectual preparation of it: this operates sufficiently, without occasioning the irritation which the pure resin is accompanied with. A tincture drawn with proof-spirit contains the whole virtue of the Hellebore, and seems to be one of the best preparations of it: this tincture, and the extract, used to be kept in the shops. The College of Edinburgh used to make this root an ingredient in the purging cephalic tincture, and compound tincture of jalap; and its extract, in the purging deobstruent pills, gamboge pills, the laxative mercurial pills, and the compound cathartic extract.—Lewis's Mat. Med.

Similar Plant.—Helleborus viridis.

214. HELLEBORUS foetidus. BEARSFOOT. Leaves. L.—The root is a strong cathartic; it destroys worms, and is recommended in different species of mania. It is commonly substituted for that of the Helleborus viridis, which is a more dangerous medicine. Hill's Herbal, p. 32. Great care ought to be used in the administering this plant: many instances of its dreadful effects are related. (See Poisonous Plants.)

Similar Plant.—Helleborus viridis.

215. HORDEUM distichon. PEARL BARLEY. Seeds. L. E.—Barley, in its several states, is more cooling, less glutionous, and less nutritious than wheat or oats; among the ancients, decoctions of it were the principal aliment, and medicine, in acute diseases. The London College direct a decoction of pearl barley; and both the London and Edinburgh make common barley an ingredient in the pectoral decoction.

216. HUMULUS Lupulus. THE HOP.—The flowers and seed-vessels are used in gout and rheumatism, under the form of infusion in boiling-water. The powder formed into an ointment with lard, is said to ease the pain of open cancer. A pillow stuffed with hops is an old and successful mode of procuring sleep in the watchfulness of delirious fever.

217. HYOSCYAMUS niger. HENBANE. Leaves and Seeds. L. E.—Henbane is a strong narcotic poison, and many instances of its deleterious effects are recorded by different authors; from which it appears, that any part of the plant, when taken in sufficient quantity, is capable of producing very dangerous and terrible symptoms. It is however much employed in the present days as an anodyne. Dr. Withering found it of great advantage in a case of difficult deglutition. Stoerck and some others recommend this extract in the dose of one grain or two; but Dr. Cullen observes, that he seldom discovered its anodyne effects till he had proceeded to doses of eight or ten grains, and sometimes to fifteen and even to twenty. The leaves of Henbane are said to have been applied externally with advantage, in the way of poultice, to resolve scirrhous tumours, and to remove some pains of the rheumatic and arthritic kind.

Similar Plants.—Verbascum Lychnites; V. nigrum.

The roots of the Henbane are to be distinguished by their very powerful and narcotic scent.

218. HYSSOPUS officinalis. HYSSOP. The Herb. L. E. D.—The leaves of Hyssop have an aromatic smell, and a warm pungent taste. Besides the general virtues of aromatics, they are particularly recommeded in humoral asthmas, coughs, and other disorders of the breast and lungs; and said to notably promote expectoration.

219. INULA Helenium. ELECAMPANE. Root. D.—Elecampane root possesses the general virtues of alexipharmics: it is principally recommended for promoting expectoration in humoural asthmas and coughs; in which intention, it used to be employed in the Edinburgh Pharmacopoeia: liberally taken, it is said to excite urine, and loosen the belly. In some parts of Germany, large quantities of this root are candied, and used as a stomachic, for strengthening the tone of the viscera in general, and for attenuating tenacious juices. Spiritous liquors extract its virtues in greater perfection than watery ones: the former scarce elevate any thing in distillation: with the latter, an essential oil arises, which concretes into white flakes; this possesses at first the flavour of the elecampane, but is very apt to lose it in keeping.

220. JUNIPERUS Sabina. SAVINE. The Tops. L. E. D.—Savine is a warm irritating aperient medicine, capable of promoting all the glandular secretions. The distilled oil is one of the most powerful emmenagogues; and is found of good service in obstructions of the uterus, or other viscra, proceeding from a laxity and weakness of the vessels, or a cold sluggish indisposition of the juices.

Similar Plants.—Juniperus oxycedrus; J. Phoenicea. These should be particularly distinguished, as Savine is attended with danger when taken immoderately.

221. JUNIPERUS communis. JUNIPER. Berries. L. E. D.—Juniper berries have a strong, not disagreeable smell; and a warm, pungent sweet taste, which, if they are long chewed, or previously well bruised, is followed by a bitterish one. The pungency seems to reside in the bark; the sweet in the juice; the aromatic flavour in oily vesicles, spread through the substance of the pulp, and distinguishable even by the eye; and the bitter in the seeds: the fresh berries yield, on expression, a rich, sweet, honey-like, aromatic juice; if previously pounded so as to break the seeds, the juice proves tart and bitter.

222. LACTUCA virosa. WILD LETTUCE. Leaves. E.—Dr. Collin at Vienna first brought the Lactuca virosa into medical repute; and its character has lately induced the College of Physicians at Edinburgh to insert it in the Catalogue of the Materia Medica. More than twenty-four cases of dropsy are said by Collin to have been successfully treated, by employing an extract prepared from the expressed juice of this plant, which is stated not only to be powerfully diuretic, but, by attenuating the viscid humours, to promote all the secretions, and to remove visceral obstructions. In the more simple cases proceeding from debility, the extract in doses of eighteen to thirty grains a-day, proved sufficient to accomplish a cure; but when the disease was inveterate, and accompanied with visceral obstructions, the quantity of extract was increased to three drams; nor did larger doses, though they excited nausea, ever produce any other bad effect; and the patients continued so strong under the use of this remedy, that it was seldom necessary to employ any tonic medicines.—Woodville's Med. Bot. p. 76.

Similar Plants.—Sonchus arvensis; Lactuca Scariola.

223. LAVANDULA Spica. LAVENDER. Flowers. L. D.—Lavender has been an officinal plant for a considerable time, though we have no certain accounts of it given by the ancients. Its medical virtue resides in the essential oil, which is supposed to be a gentle corroborant and stimulant of the aromatic kind; and is recommended in nervous debilities, and various affections proceeding from a want of energy in the animal functions.—Woodville's Med. Bot. p. 323.

224. LAURUS nobilis. BAY-TREE. Leaves and Berries. L.—In distillation with water, the leaves of bay yield a small quantity of very fragrant essential oil; with rectified spirit, they afford a moderately warm pungent extract. The berries yield a larger quantity of essential oil: they discover likewise a degree of unctuosity in the mouth; give out to the press an almost insipid fluid oil; and on being boiled in water, a thicker butyraceous one of a yellowish-green colour, impregnated with the flavour of the berry. An infusion of the leaves is sometimes drunk as tea; and the essential oil of the berries may be given from one to five or six drops on sugar, or dissolved by means of mucilages, or in spirit of wine.—Woodville's Med Bot. p. 680, 681.

225. LAURUS Sassafras. SASSAFRAS-TREE. Bark. L. E. D.—Its medical character was formerly held in great estimation; and its sensible qualities, which are stronger than any of the woods, may have probably contributed to establish the opinion so generally entertained of its utility in many inveterate diseases: for, soon after its introduction into Europe, it was sold at a very high price, and its virtues were extolled in publications professedly written on the subject. It is now, however, thought to be of very little importance, and seldom employed but in conjunction with other medicines of a more powerful nature.

Dr. Cullen found that a watery infusion of it taken warm and pretty largely, was very effectual in promoting sweat; but he adds, "to what particular purpose this sweating was applicable, I have not been able to determine." In some constitutions sassafras, by its extreme fragrance, is said to produce headache: to deprive it of this effect, the decoction ought to be employed.—Woodville's Mat. Med. p. 677.

226. LEONTODON Taraxicum. N EBION. Root. L.—The roots contain a bitter milky juice; they promise to be of use as asperient and detergent medicines; and have sometimes been directed in this intention with good success. Boerhaave esteems them capable, if duly continued, of resolving almost all kinds of coagulations, and opening very obstinate obstructions of the viscera.

227. LINUM usitatissimum. FLAX. The Seeds. L. E.—Linseed yields to the press a considerable quantity of oil; and boiled in water, a strong mucilage: these are occasionally made use of for the same purposes as other substances of that class; and sometimes the seeds themselves in emollient and maturating cataplasms. They have also been employed in Asia, and, in times of scarcity, in Europe, as food: but are not agreeable, or in general wholesome.

228. LINUM catharticum. PURGING-FLAX. The Herb. L. D.-This is a very small plant, not above four or five inches high, found wild upon chalky hills, and in dry pasture-grounds. Its virtue is expressed in its title: an infusion in water or whey of a handful of the fresh leaves, or a dram of them in substance when dried, is said to purge without inconvenience.

229. LOBELIA siphylitica. BLUE CARDINAL FLOWER. The Root. E.—Every part of the plant abounds with a milky juice, and has a rank smell. The root, which is the part directed for medicinal use, in taste resembles tobacco, and is apt to excite vomiting. It derived its name, Siphylitica, from its efficacy in the cure of Siphylis, as experienced by the North American Indians, who considered it a specific to that disease.

A decoction was made of a handful of the roots in three measures of water. Of this, half a measure is taken in the morning fasting, and repeated in the evening; and the dose is gradually increased till its purgative effects become too violent, when the decoction is to be intermitted for a day or two, and then renewed till a perfect cure is effected. But it does not appear that the antisiphylitic powers of Lobelia have been confirmed by any instances of European practice.— Woodville's Med. Bot. p. 251.

230. LYTHRUM Salicaria. WILLOW HERB. The Herb. D.—This is used internally in dropsies, obstinate gleets, and leucorrhoea.

Similar Plants.—Epilobium palustre; Epilob. angustifolium; Epilob. hirsutum.

231. MALVA sylvestris. COMMON MALLOW. Herb. L. E.—The leaves are ranked the first of the four emollient herbs: they were formerly of some esteem, in food, for loosening the belly; at present, decoctions of them are sometimes employed in dysenteries, heat and sharpness of urine, and in general for obtunding acrimonious humours: their principal use is in emollient glysters, cataplasms, and fomentations.

232. MARRUBIUM vulgare. HORFHOUND. Herb. E. D.—It is greatly extolled for its efficacy in removing obstructions of the lungs and other viscera. It has chiefly been employed in humoural asthmas. Mention is made of its successful use in scirrhous affections of the liver, jaundice, cachexies, and menstrual suppressions.—Woodville's Med. Bot. p. 333.

Similar Plants.—Ballota nigra; B. alba.

233. MELISSA officinalis. BALM. Herb. L. E.—This herb, in its recent state, has a weak roughish aromatic taste, and a pleasant smell, somewhat of the lemon kind. On distilling the fresh herb with water, it impregnates the first runnings pretty strongly with its grateful flavour. Prepared as tea, however, it makes a grateful diluent drink in fevers; and in this way it is commonly used, either by itself, or acidulated with the juice of lemons.—Woodville's Med. Bot. p. 335, 336.

234. MENTHA viridis. SPEAR-MINT. Leaves. L. D.—The virtues of Mint are those of a warm stomachic and carminative: in loss of appetite, nauseae, continual retchings to vomit, and (as Boerhaave expresses it) almost paralytic weakness of the stomach, there are few simples perhaps of equal efficacy. In colicky pains, the gripes to which children are subject, lienteries, and other kinds of immoderate fluxes, this plant frequently does good service. It likewise proves beneficial in sundry hysteric cases, and affords an useful cordial in languors and other weaknesses consequent upon delivery. The best preparations for these purposes are, a strong infusion made from the dry leaves in water (which is much superior to one from the green herb) or rather a tincture or extract prepared with rectified spirit.

The essential oil, a simple and spirituous water, and a conserve, are kept in the shops: the Edinburgh College directs an infusion of the leaves in the distilled water. This herb is an ingredient also in the three alexitereal waters; and its essential oil in the stomach plaster and stomach pills.—Lewis's Mat. Med.

235. MENTHA Piperita. PEPPER-MINT. Herb. L. E. D.—The leaves have a more penetrating smell than any of the other mints, and a much warmer, pungent, glowing taste like pepper, sinking as it were into the tongue. The principal use of this herb is in flatulent colics, languors, and other like disorders; it seems to act as soon as taken, and extends its effects through the whole system, instantly communicating a glowing warmth. Water extracts the whole of the pungency of this herb by infusion, and elevates it in distillation. Its officinal preparations are an essential oil, and a simple and spirituous water.

236. MENTHA Pulegium. PENNYROYAL. Herb. L. E. D.—Pennyroyal is a warm pungent herb of the aromatic kind, similar to mint, but more acrid and less agreeable. It has long been held in great esteem, and not undeservedly, as an aperient and deobstruent, particularly in hysteric complaints, and suppressions of the uterine purgations. For these purposes, the distilled water is generally made use of, or, what is of equal efficacy, an infusion of the leaves. It is observable, that both water and rectified spirit extract the virtues of this herb by infusion, and likewise elevate greatest part of them in distillation.—Lewis's Mat. Med.

237. MENYANTHES trifoliata. BUCK-BEAN. Leaves. L. E. D.—This is an efficacious aperient and deobstruent; it promotes the fluid secretions, and, if liberally taken, gently loosens the belly. It has of late gained great reputation in scorbutic and scrophulous disorders; and its good effects in these cases have been warranted by experience: inveterate cutaneous diseases have been removed by an infusion of the leaves, drunk to the quantity of a pint a-day, at proper intervals, and continued some weeks. Boerhaave relates, that he was relieved of the gout by drinking the juice mixed with whey.

238. MOMORDICA Elaterium. SPIRTING CUCUMBER. Fruit L. E. D.—Elaterium is a strong cathartic, and very often operates also upwards. Two or three grains are accounted in most cases a sufficient dose. Simon Paulli relates some instances of the good effects of this purgative in dropsies: but cautions practitioners not to have recourse to it till after milder medicines have proved ineffectual; to which caution we heartily subscribe. Medicines indeed in general, which act with violence in a small dose, require the utmost skill to manage them with any tolerable degree of safety: to which may be added, that the various manners of making these kinds of preparations, as practised by different hands, must needs vary their power.

239. MORUS nigra. MULBERRY. Fruit. L.—It has the common qualities of the other sweet fruits, abating heat, quenching thirst, and promoting the grosser secretions; an agreeable syrup made from the juice is kept in the shops. The bark of the roots has been in considerable esteem as a vermifuge; its taste is bitter, and somewhat astringent.—Lewis's Mat. Med.

240. NICOTIANA Tabacum. TOBACCO. Leaves. L. E. D.—Tobacco is sometimes used externally in unguents for destroying cutaneous insects, cleansing old ulcers, &c. Beaten into a mash with vinegar or brandy, it has sometimes proved serviceable for removing hard tumours of the hypochondres.

241. ORIGANUM Majorana. SWEET MARJORAM. Herb. L. E.-It is a moderately warm aromatic, yielding its virtues both to aqueous and spirituous liquors by infusion, and to water in distillation. It is principally celebrated in disorders of old people. An essential oil of the herb is kept in the shops. The powder of the leaves proves an agreeable errhine.

242. ORIGANUM vulgare. POT MARJORAM. Herb. L. D.—It has an agreeable aromatic smell approaching to that of marjoram, and a pungent taste much resembling thyme, to which it is likewise thought to be more nearly allied in its medicinal qualities than to any of the other verticillatae, and therefore deemed to be emmenagogue, tonic, stomachic, &c.

The dried leaves used instead of tea are said to be extremely grateful.
They are also employed in medicated baths and fomentations.—Woodville's
Med. Bot. p. 345.

243. OXALIS Acetosella. WOOD SORREL. Herb. L.—In taste and medical qualities it is similar to the common sorrel, but considerably more grateful, and hence is preferred by the London College. Boiled with milk, it forms an agreeable whey; and beaten with sugar, a very elegant conserve.—Lewis's Mat. Med.

244. PAPAVER Rhoeas. RED POPPY. Petals. L. E. D.—The flowers of this plant yield upon expression a deep red juice, and impart the same colour by infusion to aqueous liquors. A syrup of them is kept in the shops: this is valued chiefly for its colour; though some expect from it a lightly anodyne virtue.

245. PAPAVER somniferum. OPIUM POPPY. Gum. L. E. D.-Poppy heads, boiled in water, impart to the menstruum their narcotic juice, together with the other juices which they have in common with vegetable matters in general. The liquor strongly pressed out, suffered to settle, clarified with whites of eggs, and evaporated to a due consistence, yields about one-fifth or one-sixth the weight of the heads, of extract. This possesses the virtues of opium; but requires to be given in double its dose to answer the same intention, which it is said to perform without occasioning nausea and giddiness, the usual consequences of the other.

The general effects of this medicine are, to relax the solids, ease pain, procure sleep, promote perspiration, but restrain all other evacuations. When its operation is over, the pain, and other symptoms which it had for a time abated, return; and generally with greater violence than before, unless the cause has been removed by the diaphoresis or relaxation which it occasioned.

The operation of opium is generally attended with a slow, but strong and full pulse, a dryness of the mouth, a redness and light itching of the skin: and followed by a degree of nausea, a difficulty of respiration, lowness of the spirits, and a weak languid pulse.

With regard to the dose of opium, one grain is generally sufficient, and often too large a one; maniacal persons, and those who have been long accustomed to take it, require three or more grains to have the due effect. Among the eastern nations, who are habituated to opium, a dram is but a moderate dose: Garcias relates, that he knew one who every day took ten drams. Those who have been long accustomed to its use, upon leaving it off, are seized with great lowness, languor, and anxiety; which are relieved by having again recourse to opium, and, in some measure, by wine or spirituous liquors.

Similar Plants.—Papaver hybridum; P. Argemone.

246. PASTINACA Opoponax. OPOPONAX, or CANDY CARROT. Gum Opoponax. L.— The juice is brought from Turkey and the East Indies, sometimes in round drops or tears, but more commonly in irregular lumps, of a reddish-yellow colour on the outside, with specks of white, inwardly of a paler colour, and frequently variegated with large white pieces.

Boerhaave frequently employed it, along with ammoniacum and galbanum, in hypochondriacal disorders, obstructions of the abdominal viscera from a sluggishness of mucous humours, and a want of due elasticity of the solids.

247. PIMPINELLA Anisum. ANISEED. The Seeds. L. E. D.-These seeds are in the number of the four greater hot seeds: their principal use is in cold flatulent disorders, where tenacious phlegm abounds, and in the gripes to which young children are subject. Frederick Hoffman strongly recommends them in weakness of the stomach, diarrhoeas, and for strengthening the tone of the viscera in general; and thinks they well deserve the appellation given them by Helmont, intestinorum solamen.

248. PINUS sylvestris. SCOTCH FIR. Tar, yellow Resin, and Turpentine. L. D.—Tar, which is well known from its oeconomical uses, is properly an empyreumatic oil of turpentine, and has been much used as a medicine, both internally and externally. Tar-water, or water impregnated with the more soluble parts of tar, was some time ago a very popular remedy in various obstinate disorders, both acute and chronic, especially in small-pox, scurvy, ulcers, fistulas, rheumatisms, &c.

Turpentine is an extract also from the same tree, which is used for various purposes of medicine and the arts.

249. PINUS Abies. SPRUCE-FIR. Burgundy Pitch. L. E. D.—This is entirely confined to external use, and was formerly an ingredient in several ointments and plasters. In inveterate coughs, affections of the lungs, and other internal complaints, plasters of this resin, by acting as a tropical stimulus, are frequently found of considerable service.— Woodville's Med. Bot.

250. POLYGONUM Bistorta. BISTORT. The Roots. L. E. D.—All the parts of bistort have a rough austere taste, particularly the root, which is one of the strongest of the vegetable stringents. It is employed in all kinds of immoderate haemorrhages and other fluxes, both internally and externally, where astringency is the only intention. It is certainly a very powerful styptic, and is to be looked on simply as such; the sudorific, antipestilential, and other like virtues attributed to it, it has no other claim to, than in consequence of this property, and of the antiseptic power which it has in common with other vegetable styptics. The largest dose of the root in powder is one dram.

251. PRUNUS domestica. FRENCH PRUNES. The Fruit. L. E. D.—The medical effects of the damson and common prunes are, to abate heat, and gently loosen the belly: which they perform by lubricating the passage, and softening the excrement. They are of considerable service in costiveness accompanied with heat or irritation, which the more stimulating cathartics would tend to aggravate: where prunes are not of themselves sufficient, their effects may be promoted by joining with them a little rhubarb or the like; to which may be added some carminative ingredient, to prevent their occasioning flatulencies. Prunelloes have scarce any laxative quality: these are mild grateful refrigerants, and, by being occasionally kept in the mouth, usefully allay the thirst of hydropic persons.

252. PUNICA Granatum. POMEGRANATE. Rind of the Fuit. L. E. D.—This fruit has the general qualities of the other sweet summer fruits, allaying heat, quenching thirst, and gently loosening the belly. The rind is a strong astringent, and as such is occasionally made use of.

253. PYRUS Cydonia. QUINCE. The Kernels. L.—The seeds abound with a mucilaginous substance, of no particular taste, which they readily impart to watery liquors: an ounce will render three pints of water thick and ropy like the white of an egg. A syrup and jelly of the fruit, and mucilage of the seeds, used to be kept in the shops.

254. QUEROUS pedunculata. OAK. Bark. L. E. D.—This bark is a strong astringent; and hence stands recommended in haemorrhagies, alvine fluxes, and other preternatural or immoderate secretions.

255. RHAMNUS catharticus. BUCKTHORN. Berries. L. E.—Buckthorn-berries have a faint disagreeable smell, and a nauseous bitter taste. They have long been in considerable esteem as cathartics; and celebrated in dropsies, rheumatisms, and even in the gout; though in these cases they have no advantage above other purgatives, and are more offensive, and operate more churlishly, than many which the shops are furnished with: they generally occasion gripes, sickness, dry the mouth and throat, and leave a thirst of long duration. The dose is about twenty of the fresh berries in substance, and twice or thrice this number in decoction, an ounce of the expressed juice, or a dram of the dried berries.

256. RHEUM palmatum. TURKEY RHUBARB. Roots. L. E. D.—Rhubarb is a mild cathartic, which operates without violence or irritation, and may be given with safety even to pregnant women and to children. In some people, however, it always occasions severe griping. Besides its purgative quality, it is celebrated for an astringent one, by which it strengthens the tone of the stomach and intestines, and proves useful in diarrhoea and disorders proceeding from a laxity of the fibres. Rhubarb in substance operates more powerfully as a cathartic than any of the preparations of it. Watery tinctures purge more than the spirituous ones; whilst the latter contain in greater perfection the aromatic, astringent, and corroborating virtues of the rhubarb. The dose, when intended as a purgative, is from a scruple to a dram or more.

The Turkey rhubarb is, among us, universally preferred to the East India sort.

The plant is common in our gardens, but their medicinal powers are much weaker than in those from abroad.

RHODODENDRON Chrysanthemum. YELLOW-FLOWERED RHODODENDRON. See No. 290.

257. RHUS Toxicodendron. POISON-OAK. Leaves. L. E.—Of considerable use in paralytic affections, and is much used in the present day.

It is, however, often substituted by the Rhus radicans, which has not the medical properties that this plant has; and it is to be regretted that the leaves of both species are so much alike, that, when gathered, they are not to be distinguished.

258. RICINUS communis. PALMA CHRISTI. Seeds and Oil. L. E. D.—The oil, commonly called nut or castor oil, is got by expression, retains somewhat of the mawkishness and acrimony of the nut; but is, in general, a safe and mild laxative in cases where we wish to avoid irritation, as in those of colic, calculus, gonorrhoea, &c. and some likewise use it as a purgative in worm-cases. Half an ounce or an ounce commonly answers with an adult, and a dram or two with an infant. The castor oil which is imported is not so good as the expressed oil from the nut made in this country. The disagreeable taste is from the coats of the seeds; the best kind is pressed out after the seeds are decorticated.

259. ROSA centifolia. DAMASK ROSE. Petals. L. E. D.—In distillation with water, it yields a small portion of a butyraceous oil, whose flavour exactly resembles that of the roses. This oil, and the distilled water, are very useful and agreeable cordials. Hoffmann strongly recommends them as of singular efficacy for raising the strength, cheering and recruiting the spirits, and allaying pain; which they perform without raising any heat in the constitution, rather abating it when inordinate. Although the damask rose is recommended by Dr. Woodville, yet, having grown this article for sale, I find that the preference is always given to the Provence rose by those who distil them.

260. ROSA gallica. RED OFFICINAL ROSE. Petals. L. E. D.-This has very little of the fragrance of the foregoing sort; it is a mild and grateful astringent, especially before the flower has opened: this is considerably improved by hasty exsiccation, but both the astringency and colour are impaired by slow drying. In the shops are prepared a conserve and a tincture.

261. ROSA canina. DOG-ROSE. The Pulp of the Fruit. L. E.-The fruit, called heps or hips, has a sourish taste, and obtains a place in the London Pharmacopoeia in the form of a conserve: for this purpose, the seeds and chaffy fibres are to be carefully removed; for, if these prickly fibres are not entirely scraped off from the internal surface of the hips, the conserve is liable to produce considerable irritation on the primae viae.

262. ROSMARINUS officinalis. ROSEMARY. Tops. L. E. D.—Rosemary has a fragrant smell and a warm pungent bitterish taste, approaching to those of lavender: the leaves and tender tops are strongest; next to these the cup of the flower; the flowers themselves are considerably the weakest, but most pleasant. Aqueous liquors extract great share of the virtues of rosemary leaves by infusion, and elevate them in distillation: along with the water arises a considerable quantity of essential oil, of an agreeable strong penetrating smell. Pure spirit extracts in great perfection the whole aromatic flavour of the rosemary, and elevates very little of it in distillation: hence the resinous mass left upon abstracting the spirit, proves an elegant aromatic, very rich in the peculiar qualities of the plant. The flowers of rosemary give over great part of their flavour in distillation with pure spirit; by watery liquors, their fragrance is much injured; by beating, destroyed.

263. RUBIA tinctorum. MADDER. Roots. L. E. D.—It has little or no smell; a sweetish taste, mixed with a little bitterness. The virtues attributed to it are those of a detergent and aperient; whence it has been usually ranked among the opening roots, and recommended in obstructions of the viscera, particularly of the kidneys, in coagulations of the blood from falls or bruises, in the jaundice, and beginning dropsies.

It is observable, that this root, taken internally, tinges the urine of a deep red colour; and in the Philosophical Transactions we have an account of its producing a like effect upon the bones of animals which had it mixed with their food: all the bones, particularly the more solid ones, were changed, both externally and internally, to a deep red, but neither the fleshy nor cartilaginous parts suffered any alteration: some of these bones macerated in water for many weeks together, and afterwards steeped and boiled in spirit of wine, lost none of their colour, nor communicated any tinge to the liquors.

264. RUMEX Acetosa. SORREL. Leaves. L.—These have an agreeable acid taste. They have the same medicinal qualities as the Oxalis Acetosella, and are employed for the same purposes.

Sorrel taken in considerable quantities, or used prepared for food, will be found of great advantage when a refrigerant and antiscorbutic regimen is required.—Woodville's Med. Bot.

265. RUTA graveolens. RUE. Leaves. L. E. D.—These are powerfully stimulating, attenuating, and detergent: and hence, in cold phlegmatic habits, they quicken the circulation, dissolve tenacious juices, open obstructions of the excretory glands, and promote the fluid secretions. The writers on the Materia Medica in general have entertained a very high opinion of the virtues of this pant. Boerhaave is full of its praises; particularly of the essential oil, and the distilled water cohobated or redistilled several times from fresh parcels of the herb: after somewhat extravagantly commending other waters prepared in this manner, he adds, with regard to that of rue, that the greatest commendations he can bestow upon it fall short of its merit: "What medicine (says he) can be more efficacious for promoting perspiration, in cases of epilepsies, and for expelling poison?" Whatever service rue may be of generally, it undoubtedly has its use in the two last cases: the cohobated water, however, is not the most efficacious preparation.

266. SALIX fragilis. CRACK WILLOW. Bark. L. D.-The bark of the branches of this tree manifests a considerable degree of bitterness to the taste, and is also astringent; hence it has been thought a good substitute for the Peruvian bark, and, upon trial, was found to stop the paroxysms of intermittents: it is likewise recommended in other cases requiring tonic or astringent remedies. Not only the bark of this species of Salix, but that of several others, possess similar qualities, particularly of the Salix alba pentandria, and capraea, all of which are recommended in foreign Pharmacopoeias. But, in our opinion, the bark of the Salix triandria is more effectual than that of any other of this genus; at least, its sensible qualities give it a decided preference.—Woodville's Med Bot.

267. SALVIA officinalis. GREEN AND RED SAGE. Herb. E. D.—Its effects are, to moderately warm and strengthen the vessels; and hence, in cold phlegmatic habits, it excites appetite, and proves serviceable in debilities of the nervous system.

The red sage, mixed with honey and vinegar, is used for a gargle in sore throats. Aqueous infusions of the leaves, with the addition of a little lemon juice, prove an useful diluting drink in febrile disorders, of an elegant colour, and sufficiently acceptable to the palate.

268. SAMBUCUS nigra. COMMON ELDER. Flowers and Berries. L. E. D.—The parts of the Sambucus which are proposed for medicinal use in the Pharmacopoeias, are the inner bark, the flowers, and the berries. The flowers have an agreeable flavour, which they give over in distillation with water, and impart by infusion, both to water and rectified spirit: on distilling a large quantitiy of them with water, a small portion of a butyraceous essential oil separates. Infusions made from the fresh flowers are gently laxative and aperient; when dry, they are said to promote chiefly the cuticular excretion, and to be particularly serviceable in erysipetalous and eruptive disorders.—Woodville's Med. Bot. 598.

269. SCILLA maritima. SQUILL. Root. L. E. D.—This root is to the taste very nauseous, intensely bitter and acrimonious; much handled, it exulcerates the skin. With regard to its medical virtues, it powerfully stimulates the solids, and attenuates viscid juices; and by these qualities promotes expectoration, urine, and perspiration: if the dose is considerable, it proves emetic, and sometimes purgative. The principal use of this medicine is where the primae viae abound with mucous matter, and the lungs are oppressed by tenacious phlegm.

270. SCROPHULARIA nodosa. KNOTTY FIGWORT. Herb. D.—The roots are of a white colour, full of little knobs or protuberances on the surface: this appearance gained it formerly some repute against scrophulous disorders and the piles; and from hence it received its name: but modern practitioners expect no such virtues from it. It has a faint unpleasant smell, and a somewhat bitter disagreeable taste.

271. SINAPIS nigra. BLACK MUSTARD. Seeds. L. E. D.—By writers on the Materia Medica, mustard is considered to promote appetite, assist digestion, attenuate viscid juices, and, by stimulating the fibres, to prove a general remedy in paralytic and rheumatic affections. Joined to its stimulant qualities, it frequently, if taken in considerable quantity, opens the body, and increases the urinary discharge; and hence has been found useful in dropsical complaints.—Woodville's Med. Bot. p. 404.

272. SINAPIS alba. WHITE MUSTARD. Seeds. L. E. D.—These have been recommended to be taken whole in cases of rheumatism and have been known to produce considerable relief.

273. SISYMBRIUM Nasturtium. WATER-CRESSES. Herb. E.-Hoffman recommends this as of singular efficacy for accelerating the circulation, strengthening the viscera, opening obstructions of the glands, promoting the fluid secretions, and purifying the blood and humours: for these purposes, the expressed juice, which contains the peculiar taste and pungency of the herb, may be taken in doses of an ounce or two, and continued for a considerable time.

274. SIUM nodiflorum. CREEPING WATER-PARSNEP. The Root. D.-This plant has not been admitted into the Materia Medica of any of the Pharmacopoeias which we have seen, except that of the London College, into which it was received in the character of an antiscorbutic, or rather as the corrector of acrid humours, especially when manifested by cutaneous eruptions and tumours in the lymphatic system, for which we have the testimony of Beirie and Ray; but the best proofs of its efficacy are the following given by Dr. Withering: "A young lady, six years old, was cured of an obstinate disease by taking three large spoonfuls of the juice twice-a-day; and I have repeatedly given to adults three or four ounces every morning in similar complaints with the greatest advantage. It is not nauseous; and children take it readily if mixed with milk. In the dose I have given, it neither affects the head, the stomach, nor the bowels." Woodville's Med. Bot. 146.

275. SMILAX Sarsaparilla. SARSAPARILLA. Root. L. E. D.—This root was first brought into Europe by the Spaniards, about the year 1565, with the character of a specific for the cure of the lues venerea, which made its appearance a little before that time, and likewise of several obstinate chronic disorders. Whatever good effects it might have produced in the warmer climates, it proved unsuccessful in this. It appears, however, from experience, that though greatly unequal to the character which it bore at first, it is in some cases of considerable use as a sudorific, where more acrid medicines are improper.

276. SOLANUM Dulcamara. BITTERSWEET. Stalk. L. D.—The taste of the twigs and roots, as the name of the plant expresses, is both bitter and sweet; the bitterness being first perceived, and the sweet afterwards. They are commended for resolving coagulated blood, and as a cathartic, diuretic, and deobstruent.

277. SOLIDAGO Virga aurea. GOLDEN ROD. Flowers and Leaves. D.—The leaves have a moderately astringent bitter taste, and hence prove serviceable in debility and laxity of the viscera, and disorders proceeding from that cause.

278. SPARTIUM scoparium. BROOM. Tops and Seeds. L. D.-These have a nauseous bitter taste: decoctions of them loosen the belly, promote urine, and stand recommended in hydropic cases. The flowers are said to prove cathartic in decoction, and emetic in substance, though in some places, as Lobel informs us, they are commonly used, and in large quantity, in salads, without producing any effect of this kind. The qualities of the seeds are little better determined: some report that they purge almost as strongly as hellebore, in the dose of a dram and a half; whilst the author above mentioned relates, that he has given a decoction of two ounces of them as a gentle emetic.

279. SPIGELLA marylandica. WORM GRASS. Root. L. E. D.-About forty years ago, the anthelmintic virtues of the root of this plant were discovered by the Indians; since which time it has been much used here. I have given it in hundreds of cases, and have been very attentive to its effects. I never found it do much service, except when it proved gently purgative. Its purgative quality naturally led me to give it in febrile diseases which seem to arise from viscidity in the primae viae; and in these cases it succeeded to admiration, even when the sick did not void worms.

To a child of two years of age who had been taking ten grains of the root twice a-day without having any other effect than making her dull and giddy, I prescribed twenty-two grains morning and evening, which purged her briskly, and brought away five large worms. [Communications from Dr. Gardner.]-Woodville's Med. Bot.

280. TANACETUM vulgare. TANSY. Herb. E. D.—Considered as a medicine, it is a moderately warm bitter, accompanied with a strong, not very disagreeable flavour. Some have had a great opinion of it in hysteric disorders, particularly those proceeding from a deficiency or suppression of the usual course of nature.

281. TEUCRIUM Marum. CAT THYME. Herb. D.—The leaves have an aromatic bitterish taste; and, when rubbed betwixt the fingers, a quick pungent smell, which soon affects the head, and occasions sneezing: distilled with water, they yield a very acrid, penetrating essential oil, resembling one obtained by the same means from scurvy-grass. These qualities sufficiently point out the uses to which this plant might be applied; at present, it is little otherwise employed than in cephalic snuffs.

282. TEUCRIUM Chamaedrys. GERMANDER. Herb. D.—The leaves, tops, and seeds, have a bitter taste, with some degree of astringency and aromatic flavour. They were recommended as sudorific, diuretic, and emmenagogue, and for strengthening the stomach and viscera in general. With some they have been in great esteem in intermittent fevers; as also in scrophulous and other chronic disorders.

283. TORMENTILLA erecta. TORMENTIL, or UPRIGHT SEPTFOIL. Root. L. E. D. —The root is the only part of this plant which is used medicinally; it has a strong styptic taste, but imparts no peculiar sapid flavour. This has been long held in great estimation as an astringent. Dr. Cullen has used it with gentian with great effect in intermittent fevers. Lewis recommends an ounce and a half of the powdered root to be boiled in three pints of water to a quart, adding towards the end of the boiling a dram of cinnamon. Of the strained liquor, sweetened with an ounce of any agreeable syrup, two ounces or more may be taken four or five times a-day.

284. TUSSILAGO Farfara. COLTSFOOT. Herb. L. E. D.—Tussilago stands recommended in coughs and other disorders of the breast and lungs: the flowers were an ingredient in the pectoral decoction of the Edinburgh Pharmacopoeia.

285. VALERIANA officinalis. VALERIAN. Root. L. E. D.—Valerian is a medicine of great use in nervous disorders, and is particularly serviceable in epilepsies proceeding from a debility in the nervous system. It was first brought into esteem in these cases by Fabius Columna, who by taking the powdered root, in the dose of half a spoonful, was cured of an inveterate epilepsy after many other medicines had been tried in vain. Repeated experience has since confirmed its efficacy in this disorder; and the present practice lays considerable stress upon it.

286. VERATRUM album. WHITE HELLEBORE. Root. L. E. D.-The root has a nauseous, bitterish, acrid taste, burning the mouth and fauces: wounded when fresh, it emits an extremely acrimonious juice, which mixed with the blood, by a wound, is said to prove very dangerous: the powder of the dry root, applied to an issue, occasions violent purging: snuffed up the nose, it proves a strong, and not always a safe, sternutatory. This root, taken internally, acts with extreme violence as an emetic, and has been observed, even in a small dose, to occasion convulsions and other terrible disorders. The ancients sometimes employed it in very obstinate cases, and always made this their last resource.

Similar Plant.—Gentiana lutea, which see.

287. VERONICA Beccabunga. BROOKLIME. Herb. L. D.—This plant was formerly considered of great use in several diseases, and was applied externally to wounds and ulcers; but if it have any peculiar efficacy, it is to be derived from its antiscorbutic virtue.

As a mild refrigerant juice, it is preferred where an acrimonious state of the fluids prevails, indicated by prurient eruptions upon the skin, or in what has been called the hot scurvy.—Woodville's Med. Bot. 364.

288. VITIS vinifera. GRAPE VINE. Raisins and different Wines. L. E.— These are to cheer the spirits, warm the habit, promote perspiration, render the vessels full and turgid, raise the pulse, and quicken the circulation. The effects of the full-bodied wines are much more durable than those of the thinner; all sweet wines, as Canary, abound with a glutinous nutritious substance; whilst the others are not nutrimental, or only accidentally so by strengthening the organs employed in digestion: sweet wines in general do not pass off freely by urine, and heat the constitution more than an equal quantity of any other, though containing full as much spirit: red port, and most of the red wines, have an astringent quality, by which they strengthen the tone of the stomach and intestines, and thus prove serviceable for restraining immoderate secretions: those which are of an acid nature, as Renish, pass freely by the kidneys, and gently loosen the belly: it is supposed that these last exasperate, or occasion gout and calculous disorders, and that new wines of every kind have this effect.

The ripe fruit of grapes, of which there are several kinds, properly cured and dried, are the raisins and currants of the shops: the juice of these also, by fermentation, affords wine as well as vinegar and tartar.

The medical use of raisins is, their imparting a very pleasant flavour both to aqueous and spiritous menstrua. The seeds or stones are supposed to give a disagreeable relish, and hence are generally directed to be taken out: nevertheless I have not found that they have any disagreeable taste.—Lewis's Mat. Med.

289. ULMUS campestris. ELM. Bark. L. E. D.—The leaves have a bitterish astringent taste, and are recommended in powder, to the extent of at least two drams a-day, in ulcerations of the urinary passages and catarrhus vesicae. The powder has been used with opium, the latter being gradually increased to a considerable quantity, in diabetes, and it is said with advantage. Some use it for alleviating the dyspeptic symptoms in nephritic calculous ailments.—Lewis's Mat. Med.

290. RHODODENDRON Chrysanthemum. YELLOW-FLOWERED RHO-DODENDRON. E. The Leaves.—This species of Rhododendron has lately been introduced into Britain: it is a native of Siberia, affecting mountainous situations, and flowering in June and July.

Little attention was paid to this remedy till the year 1779, when it was strongly recommended by Koelpin as an efficacious medicine, not only in rheumatism and gout, but even in venereal cases; and it is now very generally employed in chronic rheumatisms in various parts of Europe. The leaves, which are the part directed for medicinal use, have a bitterish subastringent taste, and, as well as the bark and young branches, manifest a degree of acrimony. Taken in large doses they prove a narcotic poison, producing those symptoms which we have described as occasioned by many of the order Solanaceae.

Dr. Home, who tried it unsuccessfully in some cases of acute rheumatism, says, it appears to be one of the most powerful sedatives which we have, as in most of the trials it made the pulse remarkably slow, and, in one patient, reduced it 38 beats. And in other cases in which the Rhododendron has been used at Edinburgh, it has been productive of good effects; and, accordingly, it is now introduced into the Edinburgh Pharmacopoeia.

The manner of using this plant by the Siberians was, by putting two drams of the dried leaves in an earthen-pot with about ten ounces of boiling-water, keeping it near a boiling heat for a night, and this they took in the morning; and by repeating it three or four times it generally affected a cure. It is said to occasion heat, thirst, a degree of delirium, and a peculiar sensation of the parts affected.— Woodville's Med. Bot. p. 239.

* * * * *

SECT. VIII.—MEDICINAL PLANTS not contained in either of the BRITISH
DISPENSATORIES.

For the use of the Medical Student I selected in the foregoing section such plants as are contained in the Pharmacopoeias of the present day: but there are many mentioned in Woodville's Medical Botany, Lewis's Dispensatory, &c. which, although discarded from the College list, are nevertheless still used by medical practitioners and others.

It would be difficult to give a full history of all the plants that have from time to time been recommended for medical uses. The old writers, as Gerard, Parkinson, Lyte, &c. attributed medical virtues to all the plants which came under their notice; and, on the other hand, as we observed above, the vegetable department of the Pharmacopoeias has from time to time been reduced so much, that, if we had confined ourselves to that alone, we fear our little treatise on this head would, by many persons, be thought defective. The following list is therefore given, as containing what are used, though probably not so much by practitioners in medicine, as by our good housewives in the country, who, without disparagement to medical science, often relieve the distresses of their families and neighbours by the judicious application of drugs of this nature, and many of which are also sold for the same purposes in the London herb-shops.

291. ACANTHUS mollis. SMOOTH BEARS-BREECH. The Leaves.—Are of a soft sweetish taste, and abound with a mucilaginous juice: its virtues do not seem to differ from those of Althea and other mucilaginous plants.

292. ACHILLA Ptarmica. SNEEZEWORT. The Root.—The roots have and acrid smell, and a hot biting taste: chewed, they occasion a plentiful discharge of saliva; and when powdered and snuffed up the nose, provoke sneezing. These are sold at the herb-shops as a substitute for pellitory of Spain.

293. ACHILLEA Ageratum. MAUDLIN. The Leaves and Flowers.—This has a light agreeable smell; and a roughish, somewhat warm and bitterish taste. These qualities point out its use as a mild corroborant; but it has long been a stranger in practice, and is now omitted both by the London and Edinburgh Colleges. It is however in use by the common people.

294. ACHILLEA Millefolium. YARROW. The Leaves.—The leaves have a rough bitterish taste, and a faint aromatic smell. Their virtues are those of a very mild astringent, and as such they stand recommended in haemorrhages both internal and external, diarrhoeas, debility and laxity of the fibres; and likewise in spasmodic hysterical affections.

295. AJUGA reptans. BUGLE. The Leaves.—These have at first a sweetish taste, which gradually becomes bitterish and roughish. They are recommended as vulnerary medicines, and in all cases where mild astringents or corroborants are proper.

296. ALCHEMILLA vulgaris. LADY'S MANTLE. The Leaves.—These discover to the taste a moderate astringency, and were formerly much esteemed in some female weaknesses, and in fluxes of the belly. They are now rarely made use of; though both the fresh leaves and roots might doubtless be of service in cases where mild astringents are required.

297. AMMI majus. BISHOPS-WEED. The Seeds.—The seeds of common bishops-weed are large and pale-coloured: their smell and taste are weak, and without any thing of the origanum flavour of the true ammi, which does not grow in this country. They are ranked among the four lesser hot seeds, but are scarcely otherwise made use of than as an ingredient in the theriaca.—Lewis's Mat. Med.

298. AMYGDALUS Persica. ALMONDS. Flowers.—They have a cathartic effect, and especially to children have been successfully given in the character of a vermifuge for this purpose; an infusion of a dram of the flowers dried, or half an ounce in their recent state, is the requisite dose. The expressed oil of almonds has been for a long time, and is at present, in use for many purposes in medicine. The concentrated acid of the bitter almond is a most dangerous poison to man and all other animals.

299. ANAGALLIS arvensis. PIMPERNEL. The Leaves.—Many extraordinary virtues have been attributed to them. Geoffroy esteems them cephalic, sudorific, vulnerary, anti-maniacal, anti-epileptic, and alexiteral.

300. ANCHUSA angustifolia. BUGLOSS. The Roots, Leaves, and Flowers.— Bugloss has a slimy sweetish taste, accompanied with a kind of coolness: the roots are the most glutinous, and the flowers the least so. These qualities point out its use in hot bilious or inflammatory distempers, and a thin acrimonious state of the fluids. The flowers are one of the four called cordial flowers: the only quality they have that can entitle them to this appellation, is, that they moderately cool and soften, without offending the palate or stomach; and thus in warm climates, or in hot diseases, may in some measure refresh the patient.

301. ANEMONE Hepatica. HEPATICA. The Leaves.—It is a cooling gently restringent herb; and hence recommended in a lax state of the fibres as a corroborant.

302. ANTIRRHINIUM Elatine. FLUELLIN. The Root, Bark, and Leaves.—They were formerly accounted excellent vulneraries, and of great use for cleansing and healing old ulcers and cancerous sores: some have recommended them internally in leprous and scrophulous disorders; as also in hydropic cases.

303. ANTIRRHINIUM Linaria. TOAD FLAX. The Flowers.—An infusion of them is said to be very efficacious in cutaneous disorders; and Hammerin gives an instance in which these flowers, with those of verbascum, used as tea, cured an exanthematous disorder, which had resisted various other remedies tried during the course of three years.—Woodville's Med. Bot. p. 372.

304. AQUILEGIA vulgaris. COLUMBINE. The Leaves, Flowers, and Seeds.—It has been looked upon as aperient; and was formerly in great esteem among the common people for throwing out the small-pox and measles. A distilled water, medicated vinegar, and conserve, were prepared from the flowers; but they have long given place to medicines of greater efficacy.

305. ARISTOLOCHIA longa. LONG BIRTHWORT. The Roots.—This is a tuberous root, sometimes about the size of the finger, sometimes as thick as a man's arm: great virtues used to be ascribed to this plant as a specific in most uterine obstructions and gout: the outside is of a brownish colour; the inside yellowish.

306. ARTEMISIA vulgaris. MUGWORT. The leaves.—These have a light aromatic smell, and an herbaceous bitterish taste. They are principally celebrated as uterine and anti-hysteric: an infusion of them is sometimes drunk, either alone or in conjunction with other substances, in suppressions of immoderate fluxes. This medicine is certainly a very mild one, and considerably less hot than most others to which these virtues are attributed.

307. ASCLEPIAS Vincetoxium. SWALLOW WORT. The Root.—This root is esteemed sudorific, diuretic, and emmenagogue, and frequently employed by the French and German physicians as an alexipharmic, sometimes as a succedaneum to contrayerva; whence it has received the name of Contrayerva Germanorum. Among us it is rarely made use of.

308. ASPERULA odorata. SWEET WOODROOF. The Flowers.—It has an exceedingly pleasant smell, which is improved by moderate exsiccation; the taste is sub-saline, and somewhat austere. It imparts its flavour to vinous liquors. Asperula is supposed to attenuate viscid humours, and strengthen the tone of the bowels: it was recommended in obstructions of the liver and biliary ducts, and by some in epilepsies and palsies: modern practice has nevertheless rejected it.

309. ASPLENIUM Ceterach. SPLEENWORT.—It is recommended as a pectoral, and for promoting urine in nephritic cases. The virtue which it has been most celebrated for, is that which it has the least title to, i. e. diminish the spleen.

310. ASPLENIUM Scolophendrium. HARTS-TONGUE. The Leaves.—These have a roughish, somewhat mucilaginous taste. They are recommended in obstructions of the viscera, and for strengthening their tone; and have sometimes been made use of for these intentions, either alone, or in conjunction with maiden-hair, or the other plants of similar properties.

311. ATROPA Mandragora. MANDRAKE. The Leaves.—The qualities of this plant are very doubtful: it has a strong disagreeable smell resembling that of the narcotic herbs, to which class it is usually referred. It has rarely been any otherwise made use of in medicine, than as an ingredient in one of the old officinal unguents. Both that composition and the plant itself are rejected from our Pharmacopoeias.

312. BALLOTA nigra. BASE HOREHOUND. The Leaves.—These are doubtless an useful aperient and deobstruent; promote the fluid secretions in general, and liberally taken loosen the belly. They are an ingredient only in the theriaca.

313. BELLIS perennis. DAISIES. The Leaves.—They have a subtile subacrid taste, and are recommended as vulneraries, and in asthmas and hectic fevers, and such disorders as are occasioned by drinking cold liquors when the body has been much heated.

214. BERBERIS vulgaris. BERBERRY. The Bark and Fruit.—The outward bark of the branches and the leaves have an astringent acid taste; the inner yellow bark, a bitter one: this last is said to be serviceable in the jaundice; and by some, to be an useful purgative.

The berries, which to the taste are gratefully acid, and moderately restringent, have been given with good success in bilious fluxes, and diseases proceeding from heat, acrimony, or thinness of the juices.

315. BETONICA officinalis. WOOD BETONY. The Leaves.—These and the flowers have an herbaceous, roughish, somewhat bitterish taste, accompanied with a very weak aromatic flavour. This herb has long been a favourite among writers on the Materia Medica, who have not been wanting to attribute to it abundance of good qualities. Experience does not discover any other virtue in betony than that of a mild corroborant: as such, an infusion or light decoction of it may be drunk as tea, or a saturated tincture in rectified spirit given in suitable doses, in laxity and debility of the viscera, and disorders proceeding from thence.

316. BETULA alba. BIRCH TREE. The bark and Sap.—Upon deeply wounding or boring the trunk of the tree in the beginning of spring, a sweetish juice issues forth, sometimes, as is said, in so large quantity, as to equal in weigth to the whole tree and root: one branch will bleed a gallon or more a day. This juice is chiefly recommended in scorbutic disorders, and other foulnesses of the blood: its most sensible effect is to promote the urinary discharge.

317. BORAGO officinalis. BORAGE. The Flowers.—An exhilarating virtue has been attributed to the flowers of borage, which are hence ranked among the so called cordial flowers: but they appear to have very little claim to any virtue of this kind, and seem to be altogether insignificant.

318. BRYONIA alba. WHITE BRYONY. The Roots.—This is a strong irritating cathartic; and as such has sometimes been successfully exhibited in maniacal cases, in some kinds of dropsies, and in several chronical disorders, where a quick solution of viscid juices, and a sudden stimulus on the solids, were required.

319. CALENDULA officinalis. MARIGOLD. The Flowers.—These are supposed to be aperient and attenuating; as also cardiac, alexipharmic, and sudorific: they are principally celebrated in uterine obstructions, the jaundice, and for throwing out the small-pox. Their sensible qualities give little foundation for these virtues: they have scarcely any taste, and no considerable smell. The leaves of the plant discover a viscid sweetishness, accompanied with a more durable saponaceous pungency and warmth: these seem capable of answering some useful purposes, as a stimulating, aperient, antiscorbutic medicine.

320. CANNABIS sativa. HEMP. The Seeds.—These have some smell of the herb; their taste is unctuous and sweetish; on expression they yield a considerable quantity of insipid oil: hence they are recommended (boiled in milk, or triturated with water into an emulsion) against coughs, heat of urine, and the like. They are also said to be useful in incontinence of urine; but experience does not warrant their having any virtues of this kind.

321. CARTHAMUS tinctorius. SAFFLOWER. The Seeds.—These have been celebrated as a cathartic: they operate very slowly, and for the most part disorder the bowels, especially when given in substance; triturated with aromatic distilled waters, they form an emulsion less offensive, yet inferior in efficacy to more common purgatives.

322. CENTAUREA Cyanus. BLUE-BOTTLE. The Flowers.—As to their virtues, notwithstanding the present practice expects not any from them, they have been formerly celebrated against the bites of poisonous animals, contagious diseases, palpitations of the heart, and many other distempers.

323. CENTAUREA rhapontica. GREATER CENTAURY. The Root.—It has a rough somewhat acrid taste, and abounds with a red viscid juice; its rough taste has gained it some esteem as an astringent; its acrimony as an aperient; and its glutinous quality as a vulnerary: the present practice takes little notice of it in any intention.

324. CHELIDONIUM majus. GREAT CELANDINE. The Leaves and Juice.—This is an excellent medicine in the jaundice; it is also good against all obstructions of the viscera, and, if continued a time, will do great service against the scurvy. The juice also is used successfully for sore eyes, removing warts, &c. It should be used fresh, for it loses the greatest part of its virtue in drying.

325. CHENOPODIUM olidum. STINKING GOOSEFOOT. The Leaves.—Its smell has gained it the character of an excellent anti-hysteric; and this is the only use it is applied to. Tournefort recommends a spiritous tincture, others a decoction in water, and others a conserve of the leaves, as of wonderful efficacy in uterine disorders.

326. CHRYSANTHEMUM Leucanthemum. OX-EYE DAISY. The Leaves.—Geoffroy relates that the herb, gathered before the flowers have come forth, and boiled in water, imparts an acrid taste, penetrating and subtile like pepper; and that this decoction is an excellent vulnerary and diuretic.

327. CISTUS ladanifetus. GUM CISTUS.—The gum labdanum is procured from this shrub, and is its only produce used in medicine. This is an exudation from the leaves and twigs in the manner of manna, more than of any thing else. They get it off by drawing a parcel of leather thongs over the shrubs. It is not much used, but it is a good cephalic.—Hill's Herbal, p. 72.

328. CLEMATIS recta. UPRIGHT VIRGIN'S BOWER.—The whole plant is extremely acrid. It was useful for Dr. Stoerck to employ the leaves and flowers in ulcers and cancers, as well as an extract prepared from the former; yet the preparation which he chiefly recommended was an infusion of two or three drams of the leaves in a pint of boiling water, of which he gave four ounces three times a-day, while the powdered leaves were applied as an escharotic to the ulcers.—Wood-ville's Med. Bot. p. 481.

329. COCHLEARIA Coronopus. SWINES-CRESS.—This is an excellent diuretic, safe and yet very powerful. The juice may be taken; and it is good for the jaundice, and against all inward obstructions, and against the scurvy: the leaves may also be eaten as sallet, or dried and given in decoction.—Hill's Hebal, p. 105.

330. CONVALLARIA Polygonatum. SOLOMON'S SEAL. The Root.—The root has several joints, with some flat circular depressions, supposed to resemble the stamp of a seal. It has a sweetish mucilaginous taste. As to its virtues, practitioners do not now expect any considerable ones from it, and pay very little regard to the vulnerary qualities which it was formerly celebrated for. It is used by pugilists to remove the black appearance occasioned from extravasated blood, and for curing bruises on the face, particularly black-eyes obtained by boxing.

331. CONVALLARIA majalis. MAY LILY. The Roots and Flowers.—The roots of this abound with a soft mucilage, and hence they have been used externally in emollient and maturating cataplasms: they were an ingredient in the suppurating cataplasm of the Edinburgh Pharmacopoeia. Those of the wild plant are very bitter: dried, they are said to prove a gentle errhine; as also are the flowers.

332. CONVOLVULUS sepium. BIND-WEED.—The poor people use the root of this plant fresh gathered and boiled in ale as a cathartic; and it is found generally to answer that purpose. It would, however, nauseate a delicate stomach; but for people of strong constitutions there is not a better medicine.

333. CUSCUTA europaea. DODDER. The whole plant gathered green is to be boiled in water with a little ginger and allspice, and this decoction operates as a cathartic; it also opens obstructions of the liver, and is good in the jaundice and many other disorders arising from the like cause.—Hill's Herbal.

334. CYNOGLOSSUM officinale. HOUNDS-TONGUE. The Root.—The virtues of this root are very doubtful: it is generally supposed to be narcotic, and by some to be virulently so: others declare that it has no virtue of this kind, and look upon it as a mere glutinous astringent.

335. CYPERUS longus. LONG CYPERUS. The Root.—This is long, slender, crooked, and full of knots: outwardly of a dark-brown or blackish colour, inwardly whitish; of an aromatic smell, and an agreeable warm taste: both the taste and smell are improved by moderate exsiccation. Cyperus is accounted a good stomachic and carminative, but is at present very little regarded.

336. DICTAMNUS albus. WHITE or BASTARD DITTANY. The Root.—The cortical part of the root, dried and rolled up into quills, is sometimes brought to us. This is of a white colour, a weak, not very agreeable smell; and a durable bitter, lightly pungent taste. It is recommended as an alexipharmic.

337. EQUISETUM palustre. HORSE-TAIL. The Herb.—It is said to be a very strong astringent: it has indeed a manifest astringency, but in a very low degree.

338. ERYSIMUM officinale.—It is said to be attenuant, expectorant, and diuretic; and has been strongly recommended in chronical coughs and hoarseness. Rondeletius informs us that the last-mentioned complaint, occasioned by loud speaking, was cured by this plant in three days. Other testimonies of its good effects in this disorder are recorded by writers on the Materia Medica, of whom we may mention Dr. Cullen; who for this purpose recommends the juice of the Erysimum to be mixed with an euqal quantity of honey and sugar; in this way also it is said to be an useful remedy in ulcerations of the mouth and throat.—Woodville's Med. Bot. p. 407.

339. ERYSIMUM Alliaria. SAUCE ALONE.—The leaves of this plant are very acrimonious, and have a strong flavour of onions. It is considered as a powerful diaphoretic, diuretic, and antiscorbutic.—Woodville's Med. Bot.

340. EUPATORIUM cannabinum. HEMP AGRIMONY, &c. Leaves.—They are greatly recommended for strengthening the tone of the viscera, and as an aperient; and said to have excellent effects in the dropsy, jaundice, cachexies, and scorbutic disorders. Boerhaave informs us, that this is the common medicine of the turf-diggers in Holland, against scurvies, foul ulcers, and swellings in the feet, which they are subject to. The roof of this plant is said to operate as a strong cathartic.

341. EUPHORBIA Esula. SPURGE FLAX. Its Berries.—These are useful in removing warts and excrescences, if bruised and laid thereon. They are so acrid in their nature as to be altogether unfit for internal use.

342. EUPHRASIA officinalis. EYEBRIGHT. Leaves.—It was formerly celebrated as an ophtalmic, both taken internally and applied externally. Hildanus says he has known old men of seventy, who had lost their sight, recover it again by the use of this herb.

343. FRAGARIA vesca. THE STRAWBERRY. The Leaves and Fruit.—They are somewhat styptic, and bitterish; and hence my be of some service in debility and laxity of the viscera, and immoderate secretions, or a suppression of the natural evacuations depending thereon: they are recommended in haemorrhages and fluxes; and likewise as aperients, in suppressions of urine, obstructions of the viscera, in the jaundice, &c. The fruit is in general very grateful both to the palate and stomach: like other fruits of the dulco-acid kind, they abate heat, quench thirst, loosen the belly, and promote urine.

344. FUMARIA officinalis. FUMITORY. The Leaves.—The medical effects of this herb are, to strengthen the tone of the bowels, gently loosen the belly, and promote the urinary and other natural secretions. It is principally recommended in melancholic, scorbutic, and cutaneous disorders; for opening obstructions of the viscera, attenuating and promoting the evacuations of viscid juices.

345. GALEGA officinalis. GOAT'S RUE. The Herb.—This is celebrated as an alexipharmic; but its sensible qualities discover no foundation for any virtues of this kind: the taste is merely leguminous; and in Italy (where it grows wild) it is said to be used as food.

346. GALIUM Aparine. GOOSEGRASS, OR CLEAVERS. The Leaves.—It is recommended as an aperient, and in chronic eruptions; but practice has little regard to it.

347. GALIUM verum. LADIES BEDSTRAW, OR CHEESE-RENNET. The Herb.—This herb has a subacid taste, with a very faint, not disagreeable smell: the juice changes blue vegetable infusions to a red colour, and coagulates milk, thus exhibiting marks of acidity. It stands recommended as a mild styptic, and in epilepsy; but has never been much in use.

348. GERANIUM robertianum. HERB ROBERT. The leaves.—They have an austere taste, and have hence been recommended as astringent: but they have long been disregarded in practice.

349. GLECHOMA hederacea. GROUND-IVY. The Leaves.—This herb is an useful corroborant, aperient, and detergent; and hence stands recommended against laxity, debility, and obstructions of the viscera: some have had a great opinion of it for cleansing and healing ulcers of the internal parts, even of the lungs; and for purifying the blood. It is customary to infuse the dried leaves in malt liquors, to which it readily imparts its virtues; a practice not to be commended, unless it is for the purpose of medicine.

350. HEDERA helix. IVY. The Leaves and Berries.—The leaves have very rarely been given internally; notwithstanding they are recommended (in the Ephem. natur. curios. vol. ii. obs. 120.) against the atrophy of children; their taste is nauseous, acrid, and bitter. Externally they have sometimes been employed for drying and healing ichorous sores, and likewise for keeping issues open. The berries were supposed by the ancients to have a purgative and emetic quality; later writers have recommended them in small doses, as diaphoretics and alexipharmics; and Mr. Boyle tells us, that in the London plague the powder of them was given with vinegar, with good success, as a sudorific. It is probable the virtue of the composition was rather owing to the vinegar than to the powder.

351. HERNIARIA glabra. RUPTUREWORT. The Leaves.—It is a very mild restringent, and may, in some degree, be serviceable in disorders proceeding from a weak flaccid state of the viscera: the virtue which it has been most celebrated for, it has little title to, that of curing hernias.

352. HYPERICUM perforatum. ST. JOHN'S WORT. The Leaves and Flowers.—Its taste is rough and bitterish; the smell disagreeable. Hypericum has long been celebrated as a corroborant, diuretic, and vulnerary; but more particularly in hysterical and maniacal disorders: it has been reckoned of such efficacy in these last, as to have thence received the name of fuga daemonum.

353. JASMINUM officinale. JASMINE. The Flowers.—The flowers have a strong smell, which is liked by most people, though to some disagreeable: expressed oils extract their fragrance by infusion; and water elevates somewhat of it in distillation, but scarcely any essential oil can be obtained from them: the distilled water, kept for a little time, loses its odour.

354. IRIS Pseudoacorus. FLOWER-DE-LUCE. The Root.—The roots, when recent, have a bitter, acrid, nauseous taste, and taken into the stomach prove strongly cathartic; and hence the juice is recommended in dropsies, in the dose of three or four scruples. By drying they lose this quality, yet still retain a somewhat pungent, bitterish taste: their smell in this state is of the aromatic kind.

355. IRIS florentina. FLORENTINE IRIS, OR ORRIS-ROOT.—The roots grown in this country have neither the odour nor the other qualities that those possess which are grown in warmer climates: so that, for the purposes of medicine, they are usually imported from Leghorn.

The root in its recent state is extremely acrid, and, when chewed, excites a pungent heat in the mouth which continues several hours; but on being dried, this acrimony is almost wholly dissipated, the taste becomes slightly bitter, and the smell approaching to that of violets. It is now chiefly used in its dried state, and ranked as a pectoral or expectorant. The principal use of the roots is, however, for the purposes of perfumery, for which it is in considerable demand.

356. LACTUCA sativa. GARDEN LETTUCE. The Leaves and Seeds.—It smells strongly of opium, and resembles it in its effects; and its narcotic power, like that of the poppy heads, resides in its milky juice. An extract from the expressed juice is recommended in small doses in dropsy. In those diseases of long standing proceeding from visceral obstructions, it has been given to the extent of half an ounce a-day. It is said to agree with the stomach, to quench thirst, to be greatly laxative, powerfully diuretic, and somewhat diaphoretic.

357. LAMIUM album. WHITE ARCHANGEL, OR DEAD NETTLE. The Flowers.—The flowers have been particularly celebrated in female weaknesses, as also in disorders of the lungs; but they appear to be of very weak powers.

358. LAVENDULA Stoechas. ARABIAN STOECHAS, OR FRENCH LAVEN-DER. The Flowers.—They have a very fragrant smell, and a warm, aromatic, bitterish, subacrid taste: distilled with water, they yield a considerable quantity of a fragrant essential oil; to rectified spirit it imparts a strong tincture, which inspissated proves an elegant aromatic extract, but is seldom used in medicine.

359. LEONURUS Cardiaca. MOTHERWORT. The Leaves.—These have a bitter taste, and a pretty strong smell: they are supposed to be useful in hysteric disorders, to strengthen the stomach, to promote urine; and indeed it may be judged from their smell and taste, that their medical virtues are considerable, though they are now rejected both from the London and Edinburgh Pharmacopoeias.

360. LILIUM candidum. WHITE LILY. The Roots.—These are used in poultices. The good housewife doctors cut the roots in slices and steep them in brandy; and they are said to be an excellent remedy for all bruises and green wounds: for which purposes it is applied by them with considerable effect.

361. LITHOSPERMUM officinale. GROMWELL. The Seeds.—These are roundish, hard, and of a whitish colour, like little pearls. Powdered, they have been supposed peculiarly serviceable in calculous disorders. Their taste is merely farinaceous.

362. LYSIMACHIA Nummularia. MONEYWORT, OR HERB TWOPENCE. The Leaves.— Their taste is subastringent, and very slightly acid: hence they stand recommended by Boerhaave in the hot scurvy, and in uterine and other haemorrhagies. But their effects are so inconsiderable, that common practice takes no notice of them.

363. MALVA alcea. VERVAIN-MALLOW. The Leaves.—Alcea agrees in quality with the Althaea and Malva vulgaris; but appears to be less mucilaginous than either.

364. MATRICARIA Parthenium. COMMON WILD FEVERFEW. The Leaves and Flowers.—Simon Pauli relates, that he has experienced most happy effects from it in obstructions of the uterine evacuations. I have often seen, says he, from the use of a decoction of Matricaria and chamomile flowers with a little mugwort, hysteric complaints instantly relieved, and the patient from a lethargic state, returned as it were into life again. Matricaria is likewise recommended in sundry other disorders, as a warm stimulating bitter: all that bitters and carminatives can do, says Geoffroy, may be expected from this. It is undoubtedly a medicine of some use in these cases, though not perhaps equal to chamomile flowers alone, with which the Matricaria agrees in sensible qualities, except in being weaker.

365. NEPETA Calamintha. FIELD CALAMINT. The Leaves.—This is a low plant, growing wild about hedges and highways, and in dry sandy soils. The leaves have a quick warm taste, and smell strongly of pennyroyal: as medicines, they differ little otherwise from spearmint, than in being somewhat hotter, and of a less pleasant odour; which last circumstance has procured calamint the preference in hysteric cases.

366. NEPETA cataria. NEP, OR CATMINT. The Leaves.—This is a moderately aromatic plant, of a strong smell, not ill resembling a mixture of mint and pennyroyal; it is also recommended in hysteric cases.

367. NIGELLA romana. FENNEL-FLOWER. The Seeds.—They have a strong, not unpleasant smell; and a subacrid, somewhat unctuous disagreeable taste. They stand recommended as aperient, diuretic, &c. but being suspected to have noxious qualities should be used with caution.

368. NYMPHAEA alba. WHITE WATER-LILY. The Root and Flowers.—These have a rough, bitterish, glutinous taste, (the flowers are the least rough,) and when fresh a disagreeable smell, which is in great measure lost by drying: they are recommended in alvine fluxes, gleets, and the like. The roots are supposed by some to be in an eminent degree narcotic.

369. OCYMUM Basilicum. BASIL. The Leaves.—These have a soft, somewhat warm taste; and when rubbed, a strong unpleasant smell, which by moderate drying becomes more agreeable. They are said to attenuate viscid phlegm, promote expectoration, and the uterine secretions.

370. OPHIOGLOSSUM vulgatum. ADDERS-TONGUE. The Leaf.—An ointment is made of the fresh leaves, and it is a good application to green wounds. It is a very antient application, although now discarded from the apothecary's shop.

371. PAEONIA corolloides. MALE PEONY. The Seeds.—These are strong, and worn round the neck to assist detention, and are probably as good as other celebrated anodyne beads which have been so long recommended for the same purpose.

372. PHELLANDRIUM aquaticum. WATER HEMLOCK.—The seeds of this plant, according to Dr. Lange, when taken in large doses, produce a remarkable sensation of weight in the head, accompanied with giddiness, intoxication, &c. It may probably prove, however, an active medicine, especially in wounds and inveterate ulcers of different kinds, and even in cancers; also in phthisis pulmonalis, asthma, dyspepsia, intermittent fevers, &c. About two scruples of the seed, two or three times a-day, was the ordinary dose given. Medicines of this kind should be used with great caution.—Woodville's Med. Bot. p. 91, 92.

373. PIMPINELLA saxifraga. BURNET SAXIFRAGE. The Root, Leaves, and Seeds.—This root promises from its sensible qualities, to be a medicine of considerable utility, though little regarded in common pratice. Stahl, Hoffman, and other German physicians, are extremely fond of it, and recommend it as an excellent stomachic, resolvent, detergent, diuretic, diaphoretic, and alexipharmic.

374. PLANTAGO major. COMMON BROAD-LEAVED PLANTAIN.—The leaves are slightly astringent, and the seeds said to be so; and hence they stand recommended in haemorrhages, and other cases where medicines of this kind are proper. The leaves bruised a little, are the usual application of the common people to slight flesh wounds. The Edinburgh College used to direct an extract to be made from the leaves.

375. POTENTILLA anserina. SILVERWEED. The Leaves.—The sensible qualities of Anserina promise no great virtue of any kind, for to the taste it discovers only a slight roughness, from whence it was thought to be entitled to a place among the milder corroborants. As the astringency of Tormentil is confined chiefly to its root, it might be thought that the same circumstance would take place in this plant; but the root is found to have no other than a pleasant sweetish taste, like that of parsnip, but not so strong.

376. POTENTILLA reptans. CINQUEFOIL, OR FIVE-LEAVED GRASS. Root.—The root is moderately astringent: and as such is sometimes given internally against diarrhoeas and other fluxes; and employed in gargarisms for strengthening the gums, &c. The cortical part of the root may be taken, in substance, to the quantity of a dram: the internal part is considerably weaker, and requires to be given in double the dose to produce the same effect. It is scarcely otherwise made use of than as an ingredient in Venice treacle.—Lewis's Mat. Med.

377. POPULUS niger. THE BLACK POPLAR. Its Buds.—The young buds or rudiments of the leaves, which appear in the beginning of spring, abound with a yellow, unctuous odorous juice. They have hitherto been employed chiefly in an ointment, which received its name from them; though they are certainly capable of being applied to other purposes: a tincture of them made in rectified spirit, yields upon being isnpissated, a fragrant resin superior to many of those brought from abroad.

378. PRIMULA officinalis. COWSLIP. The Flowers.—The flowers appear in April; they have a pleasant sweet smell, and a subacrid, bitterish, subastringent taste. An infusion of them, used as tea, is recommended as a mild corroborant in nervous complaints. A strong infusion of them, with a proper quantity of sugar, forms an agreeable syrup, which for a long time maintained a place in the shops. By boiling, even for a little time, their fine flavour is destroyed. A wine is also made of the flowers, which is given as an opiate.

379. PRUNELLA vulgaris. SELFHEAL. The Leaves.—It has an herbaceous roughish taste, and hence stands recommended in haemorrhages and alvine fluxes. It has been principally celebrated as a vulnerary, whence its name; and in gargarisms for aphthae and inflammations of the fauces.

380. PULMONARIA officinalis. SPOTTED LUNGWORT. The Leaves.—They stand recommended against ulcers of the lungs, phthisis, and other like disorders.—Lewis's Mat. Med.

381. RANUNCULUS Ficaria. PILEWORT. The Leaves and Root.—The roots consist of slender fibres, with some little tubercles among them. These, with the leaves, are considered of considerable eficacy in the cure of haemorrhoids; for which purpose, considerable quantities are sold at herb-shops in London.

382. RANUNCULUS Flammula. SMALL SPEARWORT.—It has been lately discovered that this plant possesses very active powers as an emetic, and it is supposed to be useful in some cases of vegetable poisons.

383. RHAMNUS Frangula. THE BLACK OR BERRY-BEARING ALDER. Its Bark.—The internal bark of the trunk or root of the tree, given to the quantity of a dram, purges violently, occasioning gripes, nausea, and vomiting. These may be in good measure prevented by the addition of aromatics; but we have plenty of safer and less precarious purgatives.

384. RHUS coriaria. ELM-LEAVED SUMACH.—Both the leaves and berries have been employed in medicine; but the former are more astringent and tonic, and have been long in common use, though at present discarded from the Pharmacopoeias.

385. RIBES nigrum.—The juice of black currants boiled up with sugar to a jelly, is an excellent remedy against sore throats.

386. RUMEX Hydrolapathum. THE GREAT WATER DOCK.—The leaves of the docks gently loosen the belly, and have sometimes been made ingredients in decoctions for removing a costive habit. The roots, in conjunction with other medicines, are celebrated for the cure of scorbutic and cutaneous disorders, for which the following receipt is given by Lewis.

Six ounces of the roots of the water dock, with two of saffron; and of mace, cinnamon, gentian root, liquorice root, and black pepper, each three ounces, (or, where the pepper is improper, six ounces of liquorice,) are to be reduced into coarse powder, and put into a mixture of two gallons of wine, with half a gallon of strong vinegar, and the yolks of three egs; and the whole digested, with a moderate warmth, for three days, in a glazed vessel close stopped: from three to six ounces of this liquor are to be taken every morning on an empty stomach, for fourteen or twenty days, or longer.

387. SALVIA Sclarea. GARDEN CLARY. The Leaves and Seeds.—These have a warm, bitterish, pungent taste; and a strong, not very agreeable smell: the touch discovers in the leaves a large quantity of glutinous or resinous matter. They are principally recommended in female weaknesses, in hysteric disorders, and in flatulent colics.

388. SAMBUCUS Ebulus. DWARF ELDER, OR DANEWORT. The Root, Bark, and Leaves.—These have a nauseous, sharp, bitter taste, and a kind of acrid ungrateful smell: they are all strong cathartics, and as such are recommended in dropsies, and other cases where medicines of that kind are indicated. The bark of the root is said to be strongest: the leaves the weakest. But they are all too churlish medicines for general use: they sometimes evacuate violently upwards, almost always nauseate the stomach, and occasion great uneasiness of the bowels. By boiling they become (like the other drastics) milder, and more safe in operation. Fernelius relates, that by long coction they entirely lose their purgative virtue. The berries of this plant are likewise purgative, but less virulent than the other parts. A rob prepared from them may be given to the quantity of an ounce, as a cathartic; and in smaller ones as an aperient and deobstruent in chronic disorders: in this last intention, it is said by Haller to be frequently used in Switzerland, in the dose of a dram.

389. SANICULA officinalis. SANICLE. The Leaves.—These have an herbaceous, roughish taste: they have long been celebrated for sanative virtues, both internally and externally; nevertheless their effects, in any intention, are not considerable enough to gain them a place in the present practice.

390. SAPONARIA officinalis. SOAPWORT. The Herb and Root.—The roots taste sweetish and somewhat pungent; and have a light smell like those of liquorice: digested in rectified spirit they yield a strong tincture, which loses nothing of its taste or flavour in being inspissated to the consistence of an extract. This elegant root has not come much into practice among us, though it promises, from its sensible qualities, to be a medicine of considerable utility: it is greatly esteemed by the German physicians as an aperient, corroborant, and sudorific; and preferred by the College of Wirtemberg, by Stahl, Neumann, and others, to sarsaparilla.

391. SAXIFRAGA granulata.—Linnaeus describes the taste of this plant to be acrid and pungent, which we have not been able to discover. Neither the tubercles of this root, nor the leaves, manifest to the organs of taste any quality likely to be of medicinal use; and therefore, though this species of Saxifraga has been long employed as a popular remedy in nephritic and gravelly disorders, yet we do not find, either from its sensible qualities or from any published instances of its efficacy, that it deserves a place in the Materia Medica.—Woodville's Med. Bot. p. 551.

392. SCABIOSA succisa. DEVIL'S BIT. The Leaves and Roots.—These stand recommended as alexipharmics, but they have long given place to medicines of greater efficacy.

393. SCANDIX Cerefolium. Chervil. The Leaves.—Geoffroy assures us, that he has found it from experience to be of excellent service in dropsies: that in this disorder it promotes the discharge of urine when suppressed, renders it clear when feculent and turbid, and when high and fiery of a paler colour; that it acts midly without irritation, and tends rather to allay than excite inflammation. He goes so far as to say, that dropsies which do not yield to this medicine are scarce capable of being cured by any other. He directs the juice to be given in the dose of three or four ounces every fourth hour, and continued for some time, either alone, or in conjunction with nitre and syrup.

394. SEDUM Telephium. ORPINE. The Leaves.—This is a very thick-leaved juicy plant, not unlike the houseleeks. It has a mucilaginous roughish taste, and hence is recommended as emollient and astringent, but has never been much regarded in practice.

395. SEMPERVIVUM tectorum. GREATER HOUSE-LEEK. The Leaves.—These are principally applied in cases of erysipelatous and other hot eruptions of the skin, in which they are of immediate service in allaying the pain arising therefrom: great quantities are cultivated in Surrey, and brought to the London markets. It is remarkable of this plant, that its juice, when purified by filtration, appears of a dilute yellowish colour upon the admixture of an equal quantity of rectified spirit of wine; but forms a beautiful white, light coagulum, like the finer kinds of pomatum: this proves extremely volatile; for when freed from the aqueous phlegm, and exposed to the air, it altogether exhales in a very little time.

396. SENECIO Jacobaea. RAGWORT. The Leaves.—Their taste is roughish, bitter, pungent, and extremely unpleasant: they stand strongly recommended by Simon Pauli against dysenteries; but their forbidding taste has prevented its coming into practice.

397. SOLANUM nigrum. COMMON NIGHTSHADE. The Leaves and Berries.—In the year 1757, Mr. Gataker, surgeon to the Westminster Hospital, called the attention of the Faculty to this plant, by a publication recommending its internal use in old sores, srophulous and cancerous ulcers, cutaneous eruptions, and even dropsies; all of which were much relieved or completely cured of it.

398. SPIRAEA Ulmaria. MEADOW-SWEET. The Leaves and Flowers.—The flowers have a very pleasant flavour, which water extracts from them by infusion, and elevates in distillation.

399. SPIRAEA Filipendula. DROPWORT. The Root.—The root consists of a number of tubercles, fastened together by slender strings; its taste is rough and bitterish, with a slight degree of pungency. These qualities point out its use in a flaccid state of the vessels, and a sluggishness of the juices: the natural evacuations are in some measure restrained or promoted by it, where the excess or deficiency proceeds from this cause. Hence some have recommended it as an astringent in dysenteries, a diuretic, and others as an aperient and deobstruent in scrophulous habits.

400. SYMPHYTUM officinale. COMFREY. The Root.—The roots are very large, black on the outside, white within, full of a viscid glutinous juice, of no particular taste. They agree in quality with the roots of Althaea; with this difference, that the mucilage of it is somewhat stronger-bodied. Many ridiculous histories of the consolidating virtues of this plant are related by authors.

401. TAMUS communis. BLACK BRYONY.—The root is one of the best diuretics known in medicine. It is an excellent remedy in the gravel and all obstructions of urine, and other disorders of the like nature.

402. TANACETUM vulgare. TANSY. The Leaves.—These have a bitterish warm aromatic taste; and a very pleasant smell, approaching to that of mint or a mixture of mint and maudlin. Water elevates their flavour in distillation; and rectified spirit extracts it by infusion. They have been recommended in hysteric cases.

403. TEUCRIUM Chamaepitys. GROUND PINE. The Leaves.—These are recommended as aperient and vulnerary, as also in gouty and rheumatic pains.

404. THYMUS vulgaris. THYME. The Leaves and Flowers.—A tea made of the fresh tops of thyme is good in asthmas and diseases of the lungs. It is recommended against nervous complaints; but for this purpose the wild thyme is preferable. There is an oil made from thyme that cures the tooth-ache, a drop or two of it being put upon lint and applied to the tooth; this is commonly called oil of origanum.

405. TRIGONELLA Foenum-graecum. FOENUGREEK. The Seeds.—They are of a yellow colour, a rhomboidal figure; have a disagreeable strong smell, and a mucilaginous taste. Their principal use is in cataplasms, fomentations, and the like, and in emollient glysters.

406. VERBASCUM Thapsus. MULLEIN. The Leaves and Flowers.—Their taste discovers a glutinous quality; and hence they stand recommended as an emollient, and is in some places held in great esteem in consumptions. The flowers of mullein have an agreeable, honeylike sweetness: an extract prepared from them by rectified spirit of wine tastes extremely pleasant.

407. VERBENA officinalis. COMMON WILD VERVAIN. The Leaves and Root.— This is one of the medicines which we owe to the superstition of former ages; the virtue it has been celebrated for is as an amulet, on which a pamphlet was some years ago published. It was recommended to wear the root by a ribband tied round the neck for the cure of the scrophula, and for which purpose, even now, much of the root is sold in London. As the age of superstition is passing by, it will be needless to say more on the subject at present.

408. VERONICA officinalis. MALE SPEEDWELL. The Leaves.—Hoffman and Joh. Francus have written express treatises on this plant, recommending infusions of it, drunk in the form of tea, as very salubrious in many disorders, particularly those of the breast.

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Observations on the Drying and Preserving of Herbs, &c. for Medicinal
Purposes.

The student who has paid attention to the subject described in the foregoing sections, will be struck with the admirable contrivance of Divine Wisdom; that has caused such astringent substances as are contained in the oak and Peruvian bark, to be produced from the same soil, and in a similar way to those mucilaginous and laxative ones which we find in the juice of the marsh-mallow, and the olive oil. It is not intended in this small elementary work to enter into any investigation of the primitive parts of the vegetable creation, or how such different particles are secreted. It may therefore suffice, that, although the science of vegetable physiology admits of many very beautiful and instructing illustrations, yet they only go so far as to prove to us, that the first and grand principle of vegetable life and existence, as well as of the formation of all organic substances, consists in a system of attraction and combination of the different particles of nature, as they exist and are imbibed from the soil and the surrounding atmosphere. Thus, during their existence, we observe a continual series of aggregation of substance; but no sooner does the principle of life become extinct, than the agents of decomposition are at work, dividing and selecting each different substance, and carrying it back from whence it came:—"From dust thou comest, and to dust thou shalt return." This, therefore, seems to be the sum total of existence; the explanation of which, with all its interesting ramifications, is more fully explained by the learned professors in what is called the science of chemistry.

As plants of all descriptions, and their several parts, form a link of that chain by which the welfare of the universe is connected, the industry of mankind is excited to preserve them for the different purposes to which they are applicable, in the oeconomy of human existence, to whose use the greater part of the animal and vegetable creation appears to be subservient. As men, then, and rational beings, it becomes our duty so to manage those things, when necessary, as to counteract as much as possible the decomposition and corruption which are natural to all organized bodies when deprived of the living principle.

We find that some vegetables are used fresh, but the greater part are preserved in a dry state; in which, by proper management, they can be kept for a considerable time afterwards, both for our own use as well as for that of others who reside at a distance from the place of their production.

In the preparation of the parts of plants for medicinal purposes, we should always have in view the extreme volatility of many of those substances, and how necessary it therefore is, that the mode of preparation and drying should be done as quickly as possible, in order to counteract the effects of the air and light, which continue to dissipate, without intermission, these particles, during the whole time that any vegetable, either fresh or dried, is left to its influence.

If we consider the nature of hops, which I shall take as an example, as being prepared in this way on the largest scale, we shall find they consist of three different principles; namely, an aroma, combined with an agreeable bitter taste, and a yellow colour; all of which properties are, by the consumers and dealers therein, expected to exist in the article after drying.

The art of drying hops, therefore, has been a subject of speculation for many years; and although we find the kiln apparatus for preserving them differ in many places, from the various opinions of the projectors, yet they are all intended for the same mode of action, i. e. the producing of a proper degree of heat, which must be regulated according to the state of the atmosphere at the gathering season, and the consequent quantity of the watery extract that the hops contain at the time: thus it is usual to have two kilns of different temperatures at work at the same time. It should, however, be observed, that the principal art of drying hops is in doing it as quickly as possible, so as not to injure them in their colour. As soon as they are dried, it is considered necessary to put them up into close and thick bags.

It should be observed, that all vegetables contain at every period of their growth two distinct species of moiture: the one called by naturalists the common juice, which is the ascending sap, and is replete with watery particles: the other is termed the proper juice, which having passed up through the leaves, and being there concocted and deprived of the watery part, contains the principle on which various properties and virtues of the plant depend. We therefore find that the operations above described only go to this, that the watery particles in the common juice should be evaporated, as being a part necessary to be got rid of; and the proper juice being of a volatile nature, the less time the plants are exposed for that purpose, the less of this precious material will be lost: and as those parts are flying off continually from all dried vegetables, there should be one general rule made with regard to their peparation; for, if we instance mint, balm, pennyroyal, &c., the longer these are kept in the open air, the weaker are they found to be in their several parts.

From hence we may naturally infer, that the usual mode in which the generality of herbs are dried, is not so good for the purpose, as one would be if contrived on similar principles, as, during the length of time necessary for the purpose, a great deal of the principal parts of the plants must of course be evaporated and lost; for little else is regarded than to dry them so as to prevent putrefaction. Although the generality of herbs met with are prepared as above described, yet in such articles as Digitalis, Hyoscyamus, Conium, Toxicodendron, &c., where the quantity necessary for a dose is so small, and so much depends on its action, practitioners are often obliged to prepare it themselves. I shall therefore relate the following mode as the best adapted to that purpose. The Digitalis is prepared by collecting the leaves in the summer, and stripping them off from the foot-stalks; these should be then carefully exposed to a slow heat, and the watery extract slowly thrown off; in which they should not be exposed to any great degree of heat, which by its action will deprive them of their fine green colour. When this is effected, the whole may be put in contact with a heat that will enable the operator to reduce it to a fine powder. And in order to keep it with its virtues perfect, it will be necessary to deprive it as much as possible of the influence of air and light. Hence it is preserved in close glass bottles which are coated, and also placed in a dark part of the elaboratory. Now, it is necessary that all plants intended to be used in a dried state, should be prepared and protected in a similar manner; and although it may be considered as a superfluous trouble, so far as regards the more common kinds, particular attention should be paid to these, when a small quantity is a dose, and an over-dose a certain poison.

Other kinds of vegetables require a certain degree of fermentation, as Tobacco. The prinicpal art of preserving it consists in this operation being duly performed; for which purpose, as soon as the leaves of the herb are fit, the foot-stalks are broken, and the leaves left on, in order for the moisture in part to be evaporated. Afterwards these are gathered and tied in handfuls, and hung up in the shade to dry; and when sufficiently divested of moisture, the bundles are collected together and laid in large boxes or tubs, in which these are fermented, and afterwards taken out again and dried; when it is found fit to pack up for the market.

The properties of Stramonium, which has been so much recommended for curing asthma, consist pricipally in the aroma, which is only to be preserved in a similar manner: and I have found from experience, that if the leaves are separated from the plant in a manner similar to that of tobacco, and the rest of the plant, noth roots, stalks, and seed-vessels, be slit and sufficiently dried in the sun or in an oven, and the whole fermented together, a very different article is the produce than what it is when dried in the usual way, and left entirely to the chance influence of the atmosphere.

In the common operation of hay-making it may also be observed, that the continued turning it over and admitting its parts to the action of the sun and the air, is for the purpose of getting rid of the watery particles contained in it; and the quicker this is done, the better it is. And although this operation is so essentially necessary, yet care should be taken at the same time, that it be not made too dry, so as to prevent a due degree of fermentation being allowed to take place in the rick. And it may be observed that the best grasses, or other plants used for hay, if made too dry, so as to prevent the natural fermentation which their proper juices will excite, can never make either palatable or nutritive food for cattle. Neither can the same be effected if the article is used in too small quantities. It should be observed, that herbs of all kinds should be gathered for peserving when in full bloom; but when roots or barks are recommended, these should be collected in the autumn months. The principles laid down for preserving dried plants generally, will apply to these parts also.

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