essential oil; with rectified spirit, they afford a moderately warm
pungent extract. The berries yield a larger quantity of essential oil:
they discover likewise a degree of unctuosity in the mouth; give out to
the press an almost insipid fluid oil; and on being boiled in water, a
thicker butyraceous one of a yellowish-green colour, impregnated with
the flavour of the berry. An infusion of the leaves is sometimes drunk
as tea; and the essential oil of the berries may be given from one to
five or six drops on sugar, or dissolved by means of mucilages, or in
spirit of wine.--Woodville's Med Bot. p. 680, 681.

225. LAURUS Sassafras. SASSAFRAS-TREE. Bark. L. E. D.--Its medical
character was formerly held in great estimation; and its sensible
qualities, which are stronger than any of the woods, may have probably
contributed to establish the opinion so generally entertained of its
utility in many inveterate diseases: for, soon after its introduction
into Europe, it was sold at a very high price, and its virtues were
extolled in publications professedly written on the subject. It is now,
however, thought to be of very little importance, and seldom employed
but in conjunction with other medicines of a more powerful nature.

Dr. Cullen found that a watery infusion of it taken warm and pretty
largely, was very effectual in promoting sweat; but he adds, "to what
particular purpose this sweating was applicable, I have not been able to
determine." In some constitutions sassafras, by its extreme fragrance,
is said to produce headache: to deprive it of this effect, the decoction
ought to be employed.--Woodville's Mat. Med. p. 677.

226. LEONTODON Taraxicum. N EBION. Root. L.--The roots contain a bitter
milky juice; they promise to be of use as asperient and detergent
medicines; and have sometimes been directed in this intention with good
success. Boerhaave esteems them capable, if duly continued, of resolving
almost all kinds of coagulations, and opening very obstinate
obstructions of the viscera.

227. LINUM usitatissimum. FLAX. The Seeds. L. E.--Linseed yields to the
press a considerable quantity of oil; and boiled in water, a strong
mucilage: these are occasionally made use of for the same purposes as
other substances of that class; and sometimes the seeds themselves in
emollient and maturating cataplasms. They have also been employed in
Asia, and, in times of scarcity, in Europe, as food: but are not
agreeable, or