ipharmics; and
Mr. Boyle tells us, that in the London plague the powder of them was
given with vinegar, with good success, as a sudorific. It is probable
the virtue of the composition was rather owing to the vinegar than to
the powder.

351. HERNIARIA glabra. RUPTUREWORT. The Leaves.--It is a very mild
restringent, and may, in some degree, be serviceable in disorders
proceeding from a weak flaccid state of the viscera: the virtue which it
has been most celebrated for, it has little title to, that of curing
hernias.

352. HYPERICUM perforatum. ST. JOHN'S WORT. The Leaves and Flowers.--Its
taste is rough and bitterish; the smell disagreeable. Hypericum has long
been celebrated as a corroborant, diuretic, and vulnerary; but more
particularly in hysterical and maniacal disorders: it has been reckoned
of such efficacy in these last, as to have thence received the name of
fuga daemonum.

353. JASMINUM officinale. JASMINE. The Flowers.--The flowers have a
strong smell, which is liked by most people, though to some
disagreeable: expressed oils extract their fragrance by infusion; and
water elevates somewhat of it in distillation, but scarcely any
essential oil can be obtained from them: the distilled water, kept for a
little time, loses its odour.

354. IRIS Pseudoacorus. FLOWER-DE-LUCE. The Root.--The roots, when
recent, have a bitter, acrid, nauseous taste, and taken into the stomach
prove strongly cathartic; and hence the juice is recommended in
dropsies, in the dose of three or four scruples. By drying they lose
this quality, yet still retain a somewhat pungent, bitterish taste:
their smell in this state is of the aromatic kind.

355. IRIS florentina. FLORENTINE IRIS, OR ORRIS-ROOT.--The roots grown
in this country have neither the odour nor the other qualities that
those possess which are grown in warmer climates: so that, for the
purposes of medicine, they are usually imported from Leghorn.

The root in its recent state is extremely acrid, and, when chewed,
excites a pungent heat in the mouth which continues several hours; but
on being dried, this acrimony is almost wholly dissipated, the taste
becomes slightly bitter, and the smell approaching to that of violets.
It is now chiefly used in its dried state, and ranked as a pectoral or
expectorant. The principal use of the roots is, however, for the
purposes of perfumery, for which it is in considerable demand.

356. LACTUCA sativa. GARDEN L