I 



i^ 



315 



I 



This fpecies, of which there Is a variety, fo/iis crifpls^ the curled 



Tanfy, which is faid to be more grateful to the ftomach than tlie 

 common Tanfy, and has therefore been preferred by fome for medical 

 purpofes ; but as the fenfible qualities of the latter feem moft powerful, 

 ^e judge it to be moil efficacious. 



' <* The leaves and flowers of Tanfy have a ftrong, not very dif- 

 aareeable fmell, and a bitter fomewhat aromatic tafte : the flowers are 

 ftronger though rather lefs unpleafant than the leaves. They give 

 out their virtue both to water and fpirit, mofl: perfedly to the latter : 

 the tindure made from the leaves is of a fine green ; from the flowers 

 of a bright pale yellow colour. Diftilled with water they yield a 

 greenifti-yellow effential oil, fmelling fl:rongly of the herb : the re- 

 maining decodion, infpiflated, aflbrds a fl:rong bitter fubfaline extrad. 

 The fpirituous tindures give over alfo, in difl:illatIon, a confiderablc 

 part of their flavour; a part of it remaining along vmh the bitter 

 jnatter, in the extrad. 



According to Bergius, the virtues of Tanfy are tonic, fl;omachic, 

 anthelmintic, emmenagogue, and refolvent j*" qualities ufually attributed 

 to bitters of the warm or aromatic kind ; many of which we fliall 

 foon have occafion to notice under the genus Artemefia, which is 

 clofely allied to that of Tanacetum in its botanical charader. Tanfy 





■ ^ 



>? b 





has been much ufed as a vermxifuge, and tellimonles of its eflicacy 



are given by many refpedable phyficians ; not only the leaves but 

 the feeds have been employed with this intention, and fubfl:ituted for 

 thofe of Santonicum. 



We are told by Dr. Clark, that in Scotland Tanfy was found 

 to be of great fervice in various cafes of gout \ and Dr. Cullen, who 

 afterwards was informed of the effeds it produced upon thofe who 



had ufed the herb for this purpole, fays, " I have known feveral 

 who have taken it without any advantage, and fome others who 

 ported that they had been relieved from the frequency of their goui 



■ b 



* - 



* See C. Bauh. I. c, '» Lewis, M. if. p. 633. «= Miii. Med. p. 664. 



J HoiFman fpeaks highly of Its efficacy. See Med. Syji. T. 4. P- 2. p. 333. 

 alio liupp. p. 87. Rofenftein, BJkd. cap. de vermibus. * The latter however 



much more bitter and aromatic. See Lewis, I. c. ^ Vide, EJays and Obf. phyftcal 



S 



^'^' '^°^' '"• P- 438. 8 Mat. Med. vol. a. p. 80 



No 



24 



4L 



• t 



Tanfy 



