For these
purposes, the distilled water is generally made use of, or, what is of
equal efficacy, an infusion of the leaves. It is observable, that both
water and rectified spirit extract the virtues of this herb by infusion,
and likewise elevate greatest part of them in distillation.--Lewis's
Mat. Med.

237. MENYANTHES trifoliata. BUCK-BEAN. Leaves. L. E. D.--This is an
efficacious aperient and deobstruent; it promotes the fluid secretions,
and, if liberally taken, gently loosens the belly. It has of late gained
great reputation in scorbutic and scrophulous disorders; and its good
effects in these cases have been warranted by experience: inveterate
cutaneous diseases have been removed by an infusion of the leaves, drunk
to the quantity of a pint a-day, at proper intervals, and continued some
weeks. Boerhaave relates, that he was relieved of the gout by drinking
the juice mixed with whey.

238. MOMORDICA Elaterium. SPIRTING CUCUMBER. Fruit L. E. D.--Elaterium
is a strong cathartic, and very often operates also upwards. Two or
three grains are accounted in most cases a sufficient dose. Simon Paulli
relates some instances of the good effects of this purgative in
dropsies: but cautions practitioners not to have recourse to it till
after milder medicines have proved ineffectual; to which caution we
heartily subscribe. Medicines indeed in general, which act with violence
in a small dose, require the utmost skill to manage them with any
tolerable degree of safety: to which may be added, that the various
manners of making these kinds of preparations, as practised by different
hands, must needs vary their power.

239. MORUS nigra. MULBERRY. Fruit. L.--It has the common qualities of
the other sweet fruits, abating heat, quenching thirst, and promoting
the grosser secretions; an agreeable syrup made from the juice is kept
in the shops. The bark of the roots has been in considerable esteem as a
vermifuge; its taste is bitter, and somewhat astringent.--Lewis's Mat.
Med.

240. NICOTIANA Tabacum. TOBACCO. Leaves. L. E. D.--Tobacco is sometimes
used externally in unguents for destroying cutaneous insects, cleansing
old ulcers, &c. Beaten into a mash with vinegar or brandy, it has
sometimes proved serviceable for removing hard tumours of the
hypochondres.

241. ORIGANUM Majorana. SWEET MARJORAM. Herb. L. E.-It is a moderately
warm aromatic, yielding its virtues both to aqueous and spirituous
liquors by infusio