ra_, "beloved mother," because the herb is dedicated to
St. Anne, the reputed mother of the Virgin Mary, or from matrix,
as meaning "the womb." This herb may be known from the true
Chamomile because having a large, yellow, conical disk, and no
scales on the receptacles.

Chamomile tea is also an excellent drink for giving to aged
persons an hour or more before dinner. Francatelli directs that it
should be made thus: "Put about thirty flowers into a jug, and pour
a pint of boiling water on them; cover up the tea, and when it has
stood for about ten minutes pour it off from the flowers into
another jug, and sweeten with sugar or honey." A teacupful of this
Chamomile tea, into which is stirred a large dessertspoonful of
moist sugar, with a little grated ginger added, will answer the
purpose now indicated. For outward application, to relieve
inflammatory pains, or congestive neuralgia, hot fomentations
made of the infused Chamomile "blows" are invaluable. Bags may
be loosely stuffed with the flowers, and steeped well in boiling
water before being applied. But for internal use the infusion and
the extract of the herb are comparatively [87] useless, because
much of the volatile essential oil is dissipated by boiling, or by dry
heat. This oil made into pills with bread crumbs, and given whilst
fasting two hours before a meal, will effectually dispel intestinal
worms. True Chamomile flowers may be known from spurious
ones (of the Feverfew) which have no bracts on the receptacle
when the florets are removed.

It is remarkable that each Chamomile is a plant Physician, as
nothing contributes so much to the health of a garden as a number
of Chamomile herbs dispersed about it. Singularly enough, if
another plant is drooping, and apparently dying, in nine cases out
of ten it will recover if you place a herb of Chamomile near it.

The stinking Chamomile (_Anthemis cotula_) or Mayweed, grows
in cornfields, having a foetid smell, and often blistering the hand
which gathers it. Another name which it bears is "dog's fennel,"
because of the disagreeable odour, and the leaf resembling fennel.
Similar uses may be made of it as with the other Chamomiles, but
less effectively. It has solitary flowers with erect stems.

Dr. Schall declares that the Chamomile is not only a preventive of
nightmare, but the sole certain remedy for this complaint. As a
carminative injection for tiresome flatulence, it has been found
eminently beneficial to em