ie 7 
perfedtly innocent, and its berries are in fome places ufed for culinary 
purpofes. : 
Its medicinal qualities are wholly to be afcribed to its ftypticity or 
aftringency ; a property which it poffeffes in a fufficient degree to 
_ render it ufeful in dyeing, and alfo in tanning of leather, for which 
it was ufed in the time of Diofcorides. 
Both the leaves and berries have been employed in medicine, but 
the former are more altringent and tonic, and have been long in 
common ufe in various complaints indicating this clafs of remedies. 
The berries, which are red and of a roundifh compreffed figure, 
contain a pulpy matter, in which is lodged a brown hard oval feed, 
manifefting a confiderable degree of aftringency. The pulp, even | 
when dry, is gratefully acid, and has been difcovered to contain an 
effential falt *{imilar to that of wood-forrel, or perhaps more nearly 
allied to cryftals of tartar. ae 
An infufion of the dry fruit is not rendered black by a folution of 
iron ; hence it appears to be deftitute of aftringency: but its acidity 
is extremely grateful, which has caufed the tree to be called by the 
French le Vinaigrier. Therefore like many other acid fummer fruits 
thefe berries ° may be advantageoufly taken to allay febrile heat, and 
_ to correct bilious putrefcency. : 
Lately the Rhus Toxicodendron and radicans have been recom- 
' mended in’ paralytic affeCtions; the latter by Monf. Frefnoi, and the 
former by Dr. Alderfon, of Hull; but the cafes in which thefe 
virulent plants were employed are but few and indecifive. 
2 See Trommfdorff in 42. Mogunt. 1778-9. Comment. Chem. p.25- 
> In eaftern Countries they are commonly ufed as a pickle. _ 
© See an Effay on the Rhus Toxicodendron. 
_ The medicinal plants of ehis order not figured in Medical Botany,, 
are, 
Systematic NAMES. OFFICINAL, ; ENGLISH. xs 
Rhamnus Frangula _ _ Frangula - Berry-bearing Alder. 
_ Rhamnus Zizyphus. — Jujuba=——s—~—Ssé«S hining-leav’d Rlhamnus. 
- Aguifolium. = = = Common Holly. 
Ulex aquifolium. 
g ROTACEZ. 
