as, menthol (oil of Peppermint) for promptly
dispelling severe neuralgic pain. With respect to the Pennyroyal,
folk speak in Devonshire of "Organs," "Organ Tea," and "Organ
Broth." An essence is made of the oil, mixed and diluted with spirit
of wine. The Pennyroyal has proved useful in whooping cough; but
the chief purpose to which it has long been devoted, is that of
promoting, the monthly flow with women. Haller says he never
knew an infusion of the herb in white wine, with steel, to fail of
success; _Quod me nunquam fefellit_. It is certain that in some parts
of England preparations of Pennyroyal are in considerable demand,
and a great number of women ascribe _emmenagogue_ properties to
it, that is, the power of inducing the periodical monthly flux. Many
married women of intelligence and close observation, assert as a
positive fact, that Pennyroyal will bring on the periodical flow when
suppressed; and yet the eminent jurisprudist, Dr. Taylor, was
explicit in declaring that Pennyroyal has no such properties. He
stated that it has no more effect on the womb than peppermint or
camphor water. So there is difficulty in collecting evidence as
regards the real action of Pennyroyal in such respect. Chemists
supply the medicine in the full belief of this eminent opinion just
quoted: at the same time they know it is not wanted for "catarrh of
the chest," as alleged. The purchaser keeps her secret to herself, and
does not communicate her experience to anyone. Dr. Taylor
evidently supposed Peppermint water and Camphor water to be
almost inert, especially as exercising any toxical effect on the
womb. The medicinal basis of the latter is certainly a powerful
agent, and its stimulating volatile principles [337] are found to exist
in most of the aromatic herbs; in fact, Camphor is a concrete volatile
vegetable oil, and camphoraceous properties signalise all the
essences derived from carminative Herbal Simples.

The Camphor of commerce is secreted by trees of the laurel sort
native to China and Japan, whilst coming also from the West Indies.
Everyone knows by sight and smell the white crystalline granular
semi-translucent gum, strongly odorous, and having a warm
pungent characteristic taste. Branches, leaves, and chips of the trees
are soaked in water until it is saturated with the extract, which is
then turned out into an earthen basin to coagulate. This is
completely soluble in spirit of wine, but scarcely at all in water;
neve