OCR Text |
Show Lect. UL Le&. IIT Lixivial Salts. were made upon the whole Plat,or fome Portion ofit wherein feveral Parts are mixed together: And others, upon fome one Part of a Plant diftinét from the reft. All of them anfwering to fuch Queries, as may feem proper to be propofed. Query 1. As firft, Whether Trees or Herbs and Bujhes, quantityfor quantity & ceteris paribus,yeild the moft Lixivial Salt? " Forthis I took Afh-Barque and Rofemary of each tbj, The latter vielded 5 Scruples 5 the former but 32 Graixs 5 which is three timeslefs, I took alfo the fame quantity of the Bargue of Black-Thorn, and of A- grimony. The latter yielded 5 Scruples and 6 Grains 5 the former, not above 1 Scruple and § Grains 5 whichis fourtimes lefs. Although the Bargue of a Tree be compounded of Pithy and Lignous Parts 5 yet to anfwer the Query exaGtly, the Woodof thefe Trees fhould be taken with the Barque, that there may be fome portion of every Part ofthe Tree, as well as of the Herb. But thus far the Experimentis conclufive, That the fame quantity of Lixivial Salt, doth not always follow the fame Geverical Taft. For the Barque of Afh and Rofemary, are both equally Bitter; and the Barque of Black-Thorn and Agrimony are both Ajfringent and Bitter. Quer. 2. Whether any Plant growing in a Garden or the Field, doth not yield a leffer quantity of Lixivial Salt, than another of the fame kindred groming on the Sea-Coaft 5 and with what difference ? For this, | took Garden and Sea-Scurvygrafs, of each tbj. The former yields 2 Drachms and 1 Scruple; the latter, being well wathed, 9 Drachms, which ismore than 4 times as much. The like may be tryed upon others. Quer. 3. Whether the fame Specifich Plant affords more Lixivial Salt, being only dryed, and then calcin'd , orafterit hath first been diftilled, it is then dryed andcalcin'd ? For this, wastaken ij of Mivt only dryedand then calcin’d; and another firft diftilled. The former yielded 4 an Ounce and4a Drachm of Salt 5 the latter, 5 Drachms and a Scruple 5 whichis almoft sth more. This alfo fhould be tryed on other Plants. Quer. 4. How farthe proportion follows the different Tafts ofPlants? The firft Experiment, relates to the fame T2s# in feveral Plants 5 this, to feveral Tafts, And fo, OF Majorane, which is Aromatick, 1bj affords but one Scruple of Lixi- vial Salt; which is but the 384* part of the whole pound. OF Oxk-Barque which is Aftringent, tbj yields ; a Drachm of Salts or the 256part of the whole. OF Liguirifh, which is {weet, tb) yields about the fame quantity. But Awife Seeds tbj yields 2 Scruples or a 1924 part. OF Sorrel, which is fower, tb) yieldsone Drachm, or the 128part. OF Garden Scuraygrafs, whichis Hot, tbj yields 2 Drachms and 3 a Scruple 5 or the 59t! part. OF Mint, which is Hot and Bitter, tbj yiclds 5 Drachmsand a Scruple, or the 24" part, OF Sea Scuroygrafz, whichis Salt, tbj yields 9 Drachms and a Scruple or 28 Scruples 5 which is near, part of the whole. A greater proportion of Su/t, than in anyother Plant upon which I havehitherto made Tryal : Or evenin Tartarit (elf, Yet is it not a Marine, but true Lixivial Sal: asis evident, both from its Tuffes and in that it maketh of Plants, SSS maketh an Effervefcence with Spirit of Salt 3 which Sea-Salt will not do. For the Experiment to befully adequate to the Query; the Tryals fhouldbe made,either all on Trees, or allon Herbs 5 all on Roots,or all on Stalks, &c. Yet thus much is evident, That sorrel yields Thrice as much as Majorane; Sea-Scurvygrafs, Eight and Twenty times as much: Mint, Five times as muchas Sorrel; and Sixteentimes as much Majorane, &c. Quer. §. How far the Proportion follows the Faculties of Plants 2 And fo, it appears, that Majorane,a Cephalick, hath a greater Proportion ofVolatile Parts, than any of the Plants above mentioned, and fo far, is more agreeable to the Animal Spirits, and Genus Nervofim. Agrinyny, (a) an Aperient, yields above Five timésas much Lixivial (4) Quer.i. Salt, as Majorane. Yet much Jefs than many other opening Plants which are f{tronger. ‘ Mugwort (t6j) yields two Drachms and twoScruples 5 or abovehalf as much moreas Agrimozy. So that this Plant, though it hath no confiderable Ta/fe, and in that refpeét promifeth but little 5 yet yielding a goodquantity of Lixivial Sal, feems no contemptible Medicine to fubdue thofe Acidities whicheitherbycaufing Obfirudions, or immoderate Fermentations, frequently diforder the Female Sex. Mint, yieldeth {till a greater quantity 5 and is therefore, partly for the fame caufe fo excellent a Stomachich: And Rofeaary,Cb)whichis ap- propriated both to the Head and stomach, yieldeth a midle quantity ) Quer. oe more than the chief Cephalicks, and lefs than the chief Stomchicks. Common Mallow ( bj ) yields 5 Drachms and 2 Scruples. 7, e. the 234 part of the whole. Sothat this Plat, though of a very mild Tafee. yet yieldsmore Salt than Adintit (elf a Bitter Plant. Whereby it no longer feems ftrange, that a Plant offo foft a Tafte, fhould be very Dinretick , and fo evidently affe& the Reins. Rhubarb (2 Ounces ) yieldeth fearce any fixed Salt, fo far as can be judged bythe Tafte of the A(fbes, not more than a Grain or two. So that its Salt is, in _a manner, wholly volatile; and thereby apter to operate upon the Bilious parts of the Blood ; which contein a far greater proportion of Volatile Salt, than do the Serous. i OF the Caput Mortuum or meer Earth, it is obfervable, that it was near $ an Ounce or 3" part of the whole; Which is almoft Six times as much as the Caput Mortuum of Common Dock: and much more thanthat ofany other Root I have yet calcin’d. Wherebyit feemeth probable that Réwbarb loofeth much of its Volatile Part, and therefore of its Virtue, before it comes to our Shops. Sena (1b) ) yields 4 Scuples and 4 of Salts or the Ssth part. Falap ( tb) ) yields but one Drachm and t5 Grains, or 1024 part. Colocynthis ( tbj of the Pulp) yields an Ounce and half of Caput Mortuun, which is almoft all Salt, Yet allow halfan Ounce ofthe Salt, and Earth to be wafted in filtring &c. theremaining Ounce is no lefs than 7," part of the whole. Which is more than in any of the above named Plants, except the Sea-Senrvyera/s, Qq CHAP. |