293 



\ 



■ _ , r 



Garden at Kew, where it was Introduced by Mr. William Young about 

 the year 1770.' 



" Snake-root has an aromatic fmell, approaching to that of valei 

 but more agreeable, and a warm bitteriili punp-ent tafte which U 





ly concealed or overpowered by a large admixture of other 



not 



ma 



^ 



terials. It gives out its adive matter both to water and redified 



fpirit, and tinges the former of a deep brown/the latter of 



colour. Greateil part of its fmell and flavour is carried off in evapo 



diftillation by both menftrua : along with w^ater there arife 



an oranp-e 



if the quantity oi the root fubmitted to the operation be 

 fmall portion of pale -coloured effential oil, of a confiderable fai 



a 



but no very ftrong tafte, greateft part of the camphorated pungency 

 as well as bitternefs of the root, remaining in the infpiffated extrad 

 The fpirituous extrad is ftronger than the watery : not fo much fro 



its having loft lefs in the evaporation, as from its containing the adive 

 parts of the root concentrated into a fmaller volume ; its quantity 

 amounting only to about one-half of that of the other." ' 



r 



The root, as we have already obferved, was fixR recommended as 

 a medicine of extraordinary power in counterading the poifonous 

 elFeds of the bites of ferpents, and it has fmce been much employed 

 in fevers, particularly thofe of the malignant kind : a pradice which 

 feems founded on a fuppofition that the morbific matter of thefe 

 fevers is fomewhat analogous to the poifon of ferpents, and that its 

 infiuence upon the human fyftem might be obviated by the fame 

 means : hence Serpentaria has been confidered the moft powerful of 

 thofe medicines termed alexipharmics. Modern phyficians however 

 have exploded this theory of antidotes, and the alexiterials and 

 theriacas fo induftrioufly ftudied ever fmce the firft ages of Greece, 

 are now wholly difregarded. 



^ Serpentaria is thought to poft'efs tonic and antifeptio virtues, and 



-IS generally admitted to be a powerful ftimulant and diaphoretic ; 



and m fome fevers where thefe effeds are required, both this and 



yerva have been found very ufefui m.edicines, as 



We had this information from Mr. 1 

 plaiit was paffed unnoticed in the H: 



% 



7 



Lewis, M. M, *, 602 



pp 



