/ 



275 



The Ex^a/3a^or /^.x^f , or famous Anticyran Hellebore," Is llkev/ifc 

 thought to be the Hellebonis niger of LinncTus, an account of which 

 has been given at page 50 ; but the clefcriptions of the former by the 

 ancients are fo vague that their identity is equally doubtful :' the 



therefore of v^^hat has formerly been fiid of the Hell 

 of the Greeks to^ thcfe known to us, can only be admitted but as a 

 matter of probability. 



Hippocrates frequently mentions Hellebore, fimply, or generically, 

 by which we are told the white is to be underftood, as he adds the 

 word black or purging when the other fpecies is meant ; and as the 

 purgative powers of Veratrum are known to be weaker than thofe 

 of helleborus niger, the diilindion is fo far applicable to the effeds 

 now experienced of the roots of our Hellebores. 



It appears from various inftances, that not only the roots of wh 



Hellebore but that every part of the plant is extremely acrid and 

 poifonous, as its leaves and even feeds proved deleterious to different 

 animals.'^ The dried root has no peculiar fmell, but a durable 

 naufeous acrid bitterifh tafle, burning the mouth and fauces ; when 

 powdered and applied to ifTues or ulcers it produces griping and 

 purging; if fnuffed up the nofe it proves a violent flernutatory. 

 Gefner made an infufion of half an ounce of this root with two 



ounces of water, of this he took two drams, which produced great 

 heat about the fcapulse, and in the face and head, as well as tbe tongue 



- ** Naviget Anticyram."--^ 



+ 



Danda eft hellebori multo pars maxima avarls : 

 KTecio, an Anticyram ratio illis deftinet omnem. 



HoR. Sat. Lib. ii. v. 82. 



■ n 



It is fald that both the white and tlack hellebore grew at Anticyra, but the latter was 

 -accounted lafer, and therefore more commonly employed. Paufanias^ Lib, x. p. 623. 



^ « Though Tournefort fays, " Nous connumes deux Herboriftes a Prufejl'un Emir& 

 I'autre Armenien, qui paflbient pour de grands Do6leurs. lis nous fournirent des racines 

 du veritable Ellebore noir des anciens, autant que nous voulumes pour en faire I'extrait 



^1 ^k 



Mount Olympus^ Foy 



Anticvres & des cotes de la Mer Noir/' See his 



widely from that of our Helleborus niger. 



iFers 



'ijfn Reife^ voL u p. 49. Kalm^s N'. Jmer. torn. ui. p. 48. G 



Norveg. P. iu p. 2. For the poifonous effe6ls of the roGtSj when applied to wounds 



if. vol. xhii. p^ 82 



No. 2u A A 



4 



and 



