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Show SOUTHERNWOoD. 687 disagreeable; it has a pungent, bitter, and somew hat nauseous taste, These qualities are very compl etely extracted by alcohol, and the tincture is of a beautiful green colour. They areless perfectly extracted by watery liquors, the infusion being of a light brown colour. MEDICAL USE. Southernwood, as well as some other speci es of the same genus, has been recommendedas an an thelm intic ; and it has also been sometimes used as stimulant, detergent, and sudorific. Externally it has been employed in discu tient and antiseptic fomenta- tions; and under the form of lotion and ointment, for cutaneous eruptions, and for preventing the hair from falling off. is at present very rarely used in any way. But it OFFICINAL PREPARATI ON. Decoctton ror Fomenrarions. (Dec octum pro Fomento, L.)} Take of the leaves of southern wood , dried, ————— the tops of sea wormwood,d ried, ——— camomile flowers, dried, of each one ——— hayleaves, dried, half an ounce ; ounce ; ——— distilled water, six pint s: Boil them a little, and strain. SOUTHERNWOOD. ARTEMISIA ABROTANUM. Class RIK. Syngenesia. Order II. Polygamia superflua. pies Essent. Gen. Caar. Receptacle subvillous, oF naked: ia Calyx imbricated, with roundishscales, conniving: No ray to Spec. Cuar, Fruticose: Leaves very branchy. ee These decoctions are merely solu tions of a bitter extractive, combined with little mucilage, and in the others withessential oils. In making them the aromatic substances should not be alded until the decoction is near ly completed, for otherwise their flavour would be entirely dissipated. As fomentations, their virtues depe nd, in a great measure, on the warm water, which relaxes as a bath; and whenthe herb s themselves are applied, they act only as retaining heat and mois. ture for a long er time, and operate on the mind of the patient ; but are a less convenient, and hard ly more useful fomentation, than cloths DESCRIPTION. Leaves numeA ae dl Tins>plant rises three feet. Branches vertical. ; ipi rous, irregularly bipinnate. i r, narrow, Pinne long,y Jinear, i i , in close ter Flowers very minute, of a greenish yellow, minal spikes, intermixed with leaves. tire. HISTORY. j shrub, which ; os readily readily iin n our our g gardens, This is a perennial grows 0 baie though a native of the south of Europe.e ge Southernwood has a strong smell, which to most peop wrung out of hot wate r. |