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The ancients were well acquainted with this plant, as it is 



tloned by Diofcorides, Galen, and Pliny." It grows wild in fomr'f 

 the fouthern parts of France, but more abundantly in Spain a d 

 Italy. Its cultivation in this country, like many other plants which 

 we have had occafion to mention, is probably of ancient date bur 

 now cannot be traced bevond the time of Gerard. 



> 



Rofemary has a fragrant aromatic fmell, and a bitteriih puno:ent 

 tafte. The leaves and tops of this plant are the ftrongefl in their 

 fenfible qualities: the flowers, which are alfo dire(3:ed for ufe by the 

 College, are not to be feparated from their cups or calyces, as the 

 adive matter principally, if not v/nolly, refides in the latter.' 



Rofemary gives out its virtues completely to redified fpirit but 



only partially to water. The leaves and tops, diftilled 

 yield a thin light pale-coloured eilential oil of great fragrancy, thou'^h 

 not quite fo agreeable as. the Rofemary itfelf : from one hundred 

 pounds of the herb in flower were obtained eight ounces of oil : the 

 decodion thus diven:ed of the aromatic part of the plant yields, on 

 being infpiflated, an unpleafant bitteriih extrad. Redified fpirit like- 

 wife, difl:illed from Rofemary leaves, becomes confiderably impregnated 

 with their fragrance, leaving however in the extrad the greatell Ihare 



both of their flavour and pungency. The adive matter of the fl 

 is fomewhat more volatile than that of the leaves, the greatefl: part of 

 it arifmg with fpirit." '^ 



. Rofemary is reckoned one of the mofl powerful of thofe plants, 

 which fl:imulate and corroborate the nervous fyftem ; it has therefore 

 been recommended in various aiTedions, fuppofed to proceed from 

 debilities, or defedive excitement of the brain and nerves ; as in cer- 



dachs, deafnefles, giddinefl^es, palfies, &c. and in fome hyile- 



rical and dyfpeptic fymptoms. Dr. Cullen fuppofes the fl;im 

 power of Rofemary infuflBcient to reach tJie fanguiferous fyftem 



'P.Sq.) FVmy, Lib. 2^. cap 



It 



II. der/sre marino. Hence it may have been alluded to by Virgil in the following Hnes^ 



Nam jejuna quidem clivofi glarea ruris 

 Vix humiles apibus cafias roremque miniftrat. Georg. it. ''^' ^l^. 



' Z^w/V M. M. p. 544. ^. Lewis, L c. 



« « It has juftly had the reputation of a cephalic, or as a medicine that gently flim^- 



lates the nervous fyftem, but hardly fo ftrongly as to afF^a the fanguiferous." M>M' 



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