CI 
J) 
on a 
colour, fucceeded by reddifli tints, but finally puttin 
greenifh appearance ; the nedarla are about eight in number, tubu- 
lated, fomewhat compreffed, bilabiated, and of a greeniai yellow 
colour ; the filaments are white, the antheras yellow ; the germina 
vary, commonly from four to eight, and the capfules, or pods, contain 
many oval fhining blackifh feeds ; the leaves are compound, divided 
in a pecuUar manner, or pedated, and fland upon long radical foot- 
flalks ; the fimple leaf is elliptical, fmooth, thick, and ferrated towards 
the top. This plant is a native of Auflria and Italy, and was 
unknown to the gardens in this country till cultivated by Mr. John 
Gerard in 1596. If the weather be fufhciently mild, it flowers in 
January, and hence the name of Chriftmas Flower. 
: If any arguments were required to evince the neceflity of botani- 
cal accuracy in difcriminating medicinal plants, the Helleborus Niger 
would furniih us with many fads on which fuch arguments might 
be deduced. 
For 
a great 
number of inflances is recorded of the 
efFeds of this plant, by Which it fmce appears that other plants were 
miftaken for it, and adually employed ; of thefe we may enumerate 
the Helleborus viridis, Adonis vernalis, Trollius europaeus, Adsea 
fpicata, Aftrantia major, and Aconitum Napellus ;^ and as the roots 
of thefe plants pofTefs very different powers, we cannot be furprifed 
that the medical hiftory of this root is not only confufed and contra- 
didory, but calculated to produce very mifchievous and even fatal 
confequences. 
The taile of the frefh root is bitterifh, and fomewhat acrid, and 
according to Grew, " being chewed, and for fome time retained 
upon the tongue, after a few minutes it feemeth to be benumbed, 
and afieded with a kind of paralytic flupor, or as when it has been 
burnt with eating or fupping any thing too hot.'" It alfo emits a 
naufeous acrid fmell, but being long kept, both its fenfible qualities 
and medicinal adivity fuffer very confiderable diminution.^ Bergius 
has very properly attended to this circumftance, for in defining its 
virtues he confiders it under three different de 
d 
_rees of drynefs ; 
'^' VIRTUS: rec, venenata, rubefaciens,veficans; menterficcatcs: eme- 
tica, purgans, emmenagoga, antiphthiriaca,fi;ernutatoria 5 dm confervata: 
<) 
Probably art,^ as well as ignorance, had fome fhare in thefe fubftitutions j for the 
particulars of which fee Murray's Ap. Med. vol. 3. from p. 44. to p. 50. 
*= On taftes, vide Anatomy of Plants, p. 283. <* Mat. Med. p. 496 
No. 
4 
o 
\ 
ViX 
