OCR Text |
Show 168 COMMON BUGLOSS. cubical; that the needled crystals were found to be perfect nitre, and the cubical sea salt: that by passing the decoction through quicklime before theinspissation, both salts were obtained in greater purity and larger quantity: that the substance of the leaves remaining after the boiling being dried and burnt, and the ashes clixated with water, the lye, properly evaporated and set to shoot, yielded first a vitriolated tartar, and afterwards sea salt; the liquor after the crystallization also proved alkaline. Common observation also shows that this plant, if dry, and put uponthefire, emits a sort of coruscations, with a slight detonation in the burning, which points out the nitre it contains. MEDICAL VIRTUES. The borage is esteemed as one of the four grand cardiac plants. But then it must be mixed with wine. Vinumpotatum quo sit macerata buglossa, Mceroremcerebri dicunt auferre periti. Schol. Salern. c, Xxi. But its real use is in the composition of a ptisan to aid the eperation of Nature, or rather as substituting what is bland and unirritating for the usual stimulus of foodto allay action. Hence it is found of service in colds, andall inflammatory affections, as a diluting drink. In this way it may answer the high encomium on it given by Boerhaave:—‘“ Hac planta contra bilem VOMIC NUT, OR POISON NUT. STRYCHNOS NUX VOMICA. exasperatam vobis commendabo, succus expressus saporemspu- mantem refert sine ulla acrimonia, namest subdulcis, saponaceus, et pro summo solamine in morbis adhibetur, si cum sero lactis vel syrupo citri gratior redditus diluatur, tum in omni morbo inflammato, podagra, phrenitide, paraphrenitide, et peripneumonia convenit.” According to Dr. Woodville and others, the diluent does the business, and the use of such kind of herbs is only to cloak the aqueous fluid in the appearance of a medicine. “Under the idea that it is cooling, it is put into a mixture of cider, water, and lemon-juice, with some wine added, whenit has the emphatic appellation of a cool tankard, andthis is drunk in the middle of summeras a most cooling refreshing drink. Malouin remarks, that the juice of the leaves, which is not green like that of most other herbs, but of a brown colour, added to the bitter mixtures of the juices of cresses, chervil, &c, takes off their unpleasantness. Dr. Withering remarks, that the young and tender leaves are good in sallads, or ag a po‘sherb, Class V. Pentandria. Order I. Monogynia. set) Gen. Cuar. Corolla five-cleft: Berry one-celled, with a ligneous Essen Spr € CHAR. Leaves ovate: Stem unarmed. a DESCRIPTION. I, is a h large tree. The young branches have a gouty appearance, with aN earBcate am pairs, upon short footstalks, ovate, ao r five ribs. The flowers are terminal in a fascicular of umbel. Calyx tubular, five-toothed. Corolla mono. petalous, tube cylindric, the border cut into fire segments. HISTORY. It is a native of= t he East indies, and was introduced into Eng= adda. Oia: . r. Russel. The nut is flat, round, about an senteae mae hear a quarter of an inch thick, with a promi. tentaii prey colour, covered externally with woolly, and in. lauy With hard and tough like horn, and remarkablybitter, |