4°7 
about rubbiili and the fides of ditches ; but it is commonly cultivated 
in gardens, and flowers in- May. 
The root of this plant, which has long 1 been received into the 
'Materia Me dica, is alfo well known at our tables ; t( it affe&s the 
organs both of tafte and fmell with a quick penetrating pungency ; 
neverthelefs it contains in certain veffels a fweet juice, which fome- 
times exudes in little drops upon the furface. Its pungent matter is 
ef a very volatile kind, being totally diffipated in drying, and carried 
off in evaporation or diftillation by water and rectified fpirit : as the 
pungency exhales, the fweet matter of the root becomes more fen- 
iible, though this alfo is in a great meafure diftipated or deftroyed. 
It impregnates both water and fpirit, by infuilon or by diftillation, 
very richly with its active matter : in diftillation with water it yields 
a fmall quantity of effential oil, exceedingly penetrating and pungent. 
)>a 
Dr. Cullen having, in our opinion, mentioned every thing necef- 
fary to be known refpecling the medical virtues of Horfe-radifh, we 
fhall here tranferibe all that the ingenious Profeffor has written on 
this f ubj ed : 
<c 
<c 
l( 
t( 
<c 
it 
it 
ft 
" The root of this only is employed, and it affords one of the 
moft acrid fubftanees of this order, (fillquofa) and therefore proves 
a powerful ftimulant, whether externally or internally employed. 
Externally it readily inflames the fkin, and proves a rubifacient 
that may be employed with advantage in palfy and rheumatifm 
and if its application be long continued it produces blifters. 
Taken internally, I have faid in what manner its ftimulant power 
in the fauces may be managed for the cure of hoarfenefs. b Received 
5? 
into the ftomach, it ftimulates this, and promotes digeftion, and 
a 
Lewis, M. M. p. 534. 
b 
The Do&or here refers to the article Ervfimum, the iuice of which mixed 
equal part of honey or fugar, is ftrongly recommended for the cure of hoarfenefs which 
proceeds from an interrupted fecretion of mucus, and which flimulants of the acrid kind 
oft 
& . WL.. . 
radifh. He favs, " I 
D 
root, 
frefh, fcraped down, was enough for four ounces of water, to be infufed in a clofe 
velTel for two hours, and made into a fyrup, with double its weight of fugar. A tea- 
fpoonful or two of this fyrup, fwallowed leifurely, or at leaft repeated two or three times, 
we have found often very fuddenly effe&ual in relieving hoarfenefs.'' Mat. Med v. ii.p. 167. 
" therefore 
