482 
\ 
on 
the Ma 
Medica have very ge 
e 
7 
Hdered 
Saffron as a moll exhilarating cordial ; and for this purpofe Boerhaave 
preferred the extract, infpiifated on' 
tl 
fift 
of 
the obf( 
inftance 
of 
dern phyfi 
d 
not furnifh us with 
but 
one 
in which this drug had any remarkable effect in raifmg the 
fpirits ; on the contrary Bergius informs us, that a lady always expe- 
>en flip- 
Riverius mentions 
d great defpondency by taking this medicine. It has b 
pofed of confiderable eflicacy as an emmena 
afe of its powerful act 
this way. m Dr. Cullen alfo 
informs us, that he has found it to fucceed in this character 
two inftances; but that in many others, though repeatedly employed 
in large dofes, no good effect was produced." Another quality for which 
Saffron has been efteemed, is that of an antifeptic ; yet though, (accord- 
ing to the experiments of Sir John Pringle, G ) it manifefted the power of 
retarding the putrefactive procefs of animal matter, we have no proof of 
efficacy in this way on the living body, infected by a putrid difeafe 
Saffron has alfo been employed as a diaph 
and for the purpofe 
of throwing out variolous puftles, and other exanthemata ; but this 
practice feems to have originated from a miftaken notion of the action 
of Saffron, as well as from a fallacious pathology, which is now utterly 
exploded. In fhort, though the fenfible qualities of this medicine 
are pretty confiderable, it -appears to us to poffefs no other power 
than fimply that of an aromatic 
dDr. C 
declares, that he 
" has not been more puzzled upon any occafion, than in afcertaining 
the medicinal qualities of this fubftanee,'' p fo that the words of a very 
claffical writer may ftill be applied to it, though with a contrary view 
" Nee poteris croci dotes numerare, nee 
ufus 
At prefent very little confidence is placed in this medicine, though 
feveral officinal compofit 
/ 
The Edinburgh College directs 
tmctura croci, but that of London only retains a fyrup of this d 
m 
Opera ed. Horji. ^.136. n Culle, 
Difeafes of the Arm^ App. p 
* 
M % M. vol. it. p. 313 
0# p L. £m 
COLCHICUM 
/ 
