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Show oe e Nin es ere Stadi — a —a abe eee HEDGE-HYSSOP. HEDGE-HYS8S80P. Having ascertainedthe nature of this plant, weshall find reason HISTORY. This plant is thus described in the New Edinburgh Dispensa, tory: This is a perennial plant, a native of marshy situations in the south of Europe. It is gathered for use when in flower. It has no smell, but a very bitter, somewhat nauseous taste. It is a drastic purgative and emetic, aud a very powerful anthelmintic, but its use,requires caution, In substance it may be given to the extent of half a drachm, andin infusion to three drachms. ADDITIONAL REMARKS. TS The Gratiola flowers in June or July, continuing till August or September. It was introduced into our gardens by Gerardin 1568. It hasno smell. The leaves, which are the parts used in medicine, are intensely bitter, slightly astringent, and have some degree of pungency in them; they impart their medicinal virtue to both water and spirit. An extract may be also formed. Woodville, like Dr. Duncan jun., has been extremely short and de. fective in his account of the virtues of this plant. After Cullen, he says, “ that like the other verticillate plants, this acts as a stimulant, from the essential oil it contains, and hence is recommended as a remedyagainst hysteria, and to promote the courses. Itis good in fomentations for contusions, and for removing blackness from extravasated fluids; and is used as a pectoral, being made into tea, and sweetened with sugar or honey.” Hoffman, with others speaking of this plant, says, “¢ Non tantum per inferiora, sed et superiora purgat, et tam violenter, ut quidam helleboro, quidem pityuse.”—¢ That it vomits upwards and downwards, and so violently, that it is compared to hellebore, or some other drastic purge.” Alston, speaking of this plant, says, that “ it acts as an acrid and violent purgative and emetic, and evacuates phlegmatic, bilious, and watery humours; hence it is extolled in jaundice, asthmas, dropsies, and agues.”” Haller mentions its use in epi-+ Jeptic fits, in which we have found the digitalis useful. Geof. froy says, that it is so rough a purge, that it is only fit to be given to strong people, andthat it frequently occasions violent pains of the bowels, and an overpurging in young persons. for its application in medicine. Boerhaave has given this plant its true character: ‘* Efficax remedium est in humoribus aquosis, lentis, biliosisque specificé evacuandis, quos vel ex remotissimis partibus trahit, atque tum per secessum, tum per vomitum expurgat, Hinc magnus ejus usus esse poterit in hydrope, ictero flavo, &c, Kt quia amaritudineinsuper dotata est insigni fugat lumbricos, eorum sabur-~ ram expurgat. Corrigitur cinnam. sem, anisi, glycyrrhiza, &e. Dosis foliorum puly. dr, 1. infusorum ad dr. 2. extr. scr. 1.” That is, *‘ this plant is excellent for the evacuation of bile and water, and for expelling worms.” Fordropsies the dose is from ten grains to half a drachm of the dried leaves in powder, and I have seen it relieve water in the chest. Nausea was induced, often vomiting, and always purging. The best mode of ordering it is to put two drachms of the fresh leaves, or a drachm of the dried, to five or six ounces of boiling water, audlet it infuse during the night; then strain it off in the morning, and formit into an emulsion, bytriturating six blanched almonds with it, afterwards adding to it an ounce of syrup of violets, or althea, and to repeat a table-spoonful every hour until it vomits or purges. Bergius mentions that ten grains of the powder mixed with five of gentian root, in some cinnamon water, given every two Such is his account of a poisonous remedy very much reseme bling in virtues the Digitalis. Miller speaking of this plant says, “that it is of rugged curlish nature.” 9 hours, until it vomited or purged, or both, was ofgreat service in bilious autumnal or putrid fevers ; and there is no doubt, by thus evacuating the prime vie, this success was not an idle boast. Vide our Philosophy of Medicine, vol. iii. Bolduc says that he found the root of this plant in powder, given in half a drachm foradose, as goodaspecific in dysentery as the ipecacuanha, whenthedisease had not proceededtoo far, it being astringent as well as bitter. Kostrewiski, a Polish physician, has mentioned some extraordinary facts relative to the virtues of this plant. He relates, that given in the dose of half a drachm (in the morning) it had a remarkably goodeffect in several maniacal cases; and that an extract made from this herb had cured symptoms ofthe venereal disorder, the oxzena, ulcers of the throat, nodes, &c., even where mercury seemed to do no good, but harm. The medicine was thus prepared; |