ins. The name "Germander" is a corruption from
Chamoedrys, _chamai_, ground, and _drus_, oak, because the
leaves are like those of the oak.

SAINT JOHN'S WORT (_see page_ 287)

SAVIN.

Savin, the Juniper Savin (_Sabina_), or Saffern, is a herb which
grows freely in our bed of garden Simples, if properly cared for, and
which possesses medicinal virtues of a potential nature. The shrub is
a native of southern Europe, being a small evergreen plant, the twigs
of which are densely covered with little leaves in four rows, having
a strong, peculiar, unpleasant odour of turpentine, with a bitter,
acrid, resinous taste. The young branchlets are collected for
medicinal use. They contain tannin, resin, a special volatile oil, and
extractive matters.

A medicinal tincture (H.) is made from the fresh leaves, and the
points of the shoots of the cultivated Savin. But this is a powerful
medicine, and must be used with caution. In small doses of two or
three drops with a tablespoonful of cold water it is of singular
efficacy for arresting an active florid flux from the [494] womb at
the monthly times of women when occurring too profusely, the
remedy being given every two, three, or four hours. Or from one to
four grains of powdered Savin may be taken instead of each dose of
the tincture.

The stimulating virtues of Savin befit it for cleansing carbuncles,
and for benefiting baldness. When mixed with honey it has removed
freckles with success; the leaves, dried and powdered, serve, when
applied, to dispel obstinate warty excrescences about the genitals.

Rubbed together with cerate, or lard, powdered Savin is used for
maintaining the sores of blisters, and of issues, open when it is
desired to keep up their derivative action.

The essential oil will stimulate the womb to functional activity
when it is passively congested and torpid. As to its elementary
composition this oil closely resembles the spirit of turpentine; and
when given in small well diluted doses as a tincture (made of the oil
mixed with spirit of wine), such medicine does good service in
relieving rheumatic pains and swellings connected with impaired
health of the womb. For these purposes the ordinary tincture (H.) of
Savin should be mixed, one part thereof with nine parts of spirit of
wine, and given in doses of from six to ten drops with a
tablespoonful of water. Dr. Pereira says about the herb: "According
to my own observation, Savin is the most certain