The Botanist's Companion Part 18

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 Cya.n.u.s. 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, pract.i.tioners 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 const.i.tutions 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 b.a.s.t.a.r.d 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 pal.u.s.tre. 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 hoa.r.s.eness. 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 quant.i.ty 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 diaph.o.r.etic, diuretic, and antis...o...b..tic.--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 s...o...b..tic 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. Hilda.n.u.s 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 princ.i.p.ally recommended in melancholic, s...o...b..tic, and cutaneous disorders; for opening obstructions of the viscera, attenuating and promoting the evacuations of viscid juices.