395 
which fupplies the place of a capfule. It is ufually found about old 
walls and rubbifh, flowering in Auguft. 
This plant, in its recent flate, has a naufeous tafle, and a flrong 
offenfive fmell, refembling that of putrid fait fifh, and remaining long 
on the hands after touching the herb.* 
It gives a ftrong impreg- 
lation to water both by infufion and diftillation : the fmell is extracted 
likewife by rectified fpirit, and by this menftruum in fome degree 
edica 
covered. This plant has been expunged from the Materia M 
of the London Pharmacopoeia, but it is flill retained in that of 
Edinburgh. Its virtues are afcribed to its remarkable fetor, from which 
it is inferred by Dr. Cullen to be a powerful antifpafmodic, and efpe- 
cially recommended in hyfterical affections. 
Dr. Cullen fays, " it has been frequently employed in this country 
" with advantage ; not however fo frequently as might be expected, 
u 
as it is a plant, in its frefh flate, not always ready at hand, and in 
its dry flate it lofes all its fenfible qualities. It can only be employed 
therefore in its recent flate, and the mofl convenient formula is that 
of a conferve ; and as it is not always eafy to reconcile our patients 
to it even in that flate, it is not employed fo often as I could wifh." 
Mat. Med, vol. it. p. 365. 
I 
^ * Odoris virofi intolerabilis, ut qui vel atta&u levi manus ita inficit, ut longo tempore 
yixpoffit elui. Raii Hifl. p. 198. 
a 
u 
URTICA DIOICA. 
