( 41 ) 
ROOT perennial, large, knobbed, from which iffue a number of 
-{mall, flender, yellowith fibres. Stalks above a foot in height, ereé, 
round, fimple, fomewhat downy, jointed, at the bafe purplith, above 
green. Leaves on fhort footftalks, oppofite, ovate, long, pointed, 
and bearded with fhort hairs at the bafe. Flowers white, arifing,in 
clufters at the axille of the leaves. Calyx downy, divided into five 
narrow pointed fegments. Corolla monopetalous, divided into five 
ovate, obtufe, fpreading fegments. Nedtaria five, flefhy, adhering to 
the filaments; from the bottom horn-fhaped, and bent inwards. Fila- 
ments five, of a tubular appearance. Antherz oblong, erect, within 
the fcales of the ne€tary. Germina two, oblong, tapering. Styles 
two, fhort, tapering. Stigmata fimple. Follicles two, large, oblong, - 
pointed, ventricofe, one-celled, one-valved. Seeds numerous, crowned 
‘with pappus. sae? : 
This plant, which is not uncommon in the northern parts af 
Europe, has been cultivated in Britain fince the time of Parkinfon, 
in 1640. Its root, which is the part medicinally employed, has, 
“‘ when frefh, a moderately ftrong not agreeable fmell, approaching 
to that of wild valerian, which, in drying, is in great part diflipated; 
chewed, it impreffes firft-a confiderable fweetnefs, which is foon fuc- 
ceeded by an unpleafant fubacrid bitterifhnefs,” * ; : 
Bergius ftates the virtues of this root to be pullens, diuretica, fudo- 
rifica, emmenagoga, alexipharmica. a. 3 , 
By F.. Hoffman it was found to poffefs an anodyne quality;’ but 
we are told by others that it fometimes excites naufea and yomiting.* 
It has been chiefly ufed in dropfical diforders; and feveral ‘cafes are 
related in which it was given with great fuccefs ;° but as other medi- 
cines were at the fame time employed, the good effects of the Vin-— 
cetoxicum may not be yet thought fufficiently eftablifhed. The fame 
obfervation will apply to Stahl’s pulvis antihydropicus, a compofition 
in which the Vincetoxicum is an ingredient.* * 
| 2 Lewis. lc. % Med. Syft. T. 4. P. 3- po 305- 
© Durr. Eph. Nat. Cur. Dec. 2. 4.7. p. 105. See alfo Geoff, 
4 Vide Baub. hift. ii. p. 139. Durr. 1. ce 
* Stahl made alfo other compofitions of the Vincetoxicum, which were received in 
the Pharm. Wurt. S Bran. ~ : 
~' No. 4.—Part II. L This 
