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Show 172 COMMON WINTER CHERRY. MEDICAL USES. This is also one of the plants discarded from the Pharmaco- peias; and we might be tempted to follow the routine of fa. shion, unless the great Boerhaave hadsaid ‘¢ it was goodinfevers, anddisorders of the kidneys.” ‘¢ Bacce habent succum vinosum penetrartissimum, similem succum citri vel vini; hinc in febribus ardentibus laudatur, hic succus quoque est diureticus, ergo in morbis renum commendatur, et quidem optimus est, quia nil in nostro corpore nisi sola urina, que in putredinem alcalinam vergit, hinc alcalia diuretica vobis semper sint suspecta. Baccez exsiccata, in pollinem contrite et vino infuse est summum diureticum, quod etiam alyum movet, sie etiam contra calculum laudatur, valet contra omnes morbos ardentes vi sua refrigerante, semina exsiccata et contrita cum saccharo ad unciam dimidiam sunt optima in omnibus renum morbis, instar thée et coffé adhibita renes purgunt, baccz valent contra sanguinem congrumatum, icterum, stranguriam, urine remoram arthritidem et hydropem; fumus seminis ore exceptus miré prolicit vermiculos ex dentis cavo ; ex baccis fiunt trochisci optimi.” The dose is six to twelve berries, or an ounce of their ex- pressed juice. There is no danger that can’ be derived from a larger number, as in Spain and Switzerland they frequently supply the place of other edible fruit. Ray, our countryman, whose medical knowledge. was tempered with superstition, mentions, that a gouty person prevented the returns of this disorder by eating eight of these cherries at each change of the moon. It is some knowledge, however, to know, that should children, or any other person, foolishly be invited to taste of this fruit, they will not surely die; for if not their medical virtues, MANDRAKE. ATROPA MANDRAGORA. Class V. Pentandria. Order I. Monogynia. Essent. Gen. Cuar. Corolla campanulate: Stamina distant: Berry globular, two-celled. Spec. CHAR. No stem: Scape one-flowered. ER DESCRIPTION. A smaut plant. Leaves radical, ovate, veined, waved; atfirst exeat; afterwards resting on the ground. Flowers large, whitish. Calyx five-cleft, segments pointed. Corolla deeply cut intofive segments. their innocency has been abundantly proved. Berry large. Root fusiform. HISTORY. Native of the southern parts of Europe, flowers in March and April. Cultivated with us, according to Turner, in 1562. MEDICAL USE. This is one of the plants of which such strange things are rePorted. Its root frequently dividing into two below, and shoot. ing out fusiform radicles, on each side, gave a resemblance to a man, and being aided byart, this likeness was rendered so com- |