( 8) 
“ The leaves and flowers of Feverfew have.a ftrong not agreeable 
{mell, and a moderately bitter tafte, both which they communicate, 
by warm infufion, to water and rectified fpirit. The watery infufions, 
inf{piflated, leave an extract of confiderable bitternefs, and which 
difcovers alfo a falime matter both to the tafte and in a more fenfible 
manner by throwing up to the furface {mall cryftalline efflorefcences 
in keeping: the peculiar flavour of the Matricaria exhales in the 
evaporation, and impregnates the diftilled water, on which alfo a 
quantity of effential oil is found floating. The quantity of {pirituous 
extract, according to Cartheufer’s experiments, is only about one-fixth 
the weight of the dry leaves, whereas the watery extract amounts to 
near one-half,” _ ; 
This plant is evidently the Parthenium of Diofcorides, fince whofe. 
time it has been very generally employed for medical purpofes. In 
natural affinity it ranks with camomile and tanfy, and its fenfible 
qualities fhow it to be nearly allied to them in its medicinal chara¢ter, 
Bergius ftates its yirtues to be tonic, ftomachic, refolvent, and emme- _ 
nagogue. It has been given fuccefsfully as a vermifuge, and for the 
cure of intermittents; but its ufe is moft celebrated in female difor- 
ders, efpecially in hyfteria ;* and hence it is fuppofed to have derived 
the name Matricaria.° 
Its fmell, tafte, and analyfis prove it to be a medicine of confider- 
able activity; we may therefore fay with Murray, ‘** Rarius hodie 
“* prefcribitur, quam debetur.” 
* According to Sim, Paulli, its efficacy in this diforder was very remarkable.—- 
Quadrip. p. 432. ; 
>» “ TapSeney, quafi virginalis, quod morbis mulierum uterinis medeatur, ‘hinc vulgo 
matricaria.” &c.—C, B. gee” : 
LACTUCA 
