*JG ttses of furze and its blossoms. 



pounds of the seed f ; I now beg leave to add, that I am 

 informed, considerable quantities of poppy seeds have been 

 lately bought up, in different parts of the country, and the 

 expressed oil from them sold at the price of Florence oil ; 

 and that emulsions made from poppy seeds answer in every 

 respect the purposes of those made from almonds. 



The following communication may perhaps be deemed 



Furze useful worthy the notice of the Society. It relates to the use of 



ood for cattle. w ^ g or f urze# \ ts utility as food for cattle has been long 



known, though probably not sufficiently appreciated ; but 



as a medicine I never till within a few years heard of it. My 



information was first received from a gentleman, who has 



been an officer in the army, a friend and relation of mine ; 



he is seveuty-hve years of age, and in good health, and what 



he says may be depended upon. In October 1806, he in- 



Infusionof the formed me, that his sight had been much strengthened by 



•lossoms drinking an infusion of whin or furze blossoms, dried in the 



stungthensthe v 



sight, sun in summer. The infusion is made from a tea cup full 



of the blossoms, in a tea pot, in the manner of tea, and the 

 dose half a tumbler at night. He never had a cough since 

 ami prevtnts he first used it, which was fifty years ago ; it acts as a diuretic, 

 °" K * and by perspiration, and when the dose is increased, pro- 



motes sleep. In October 1808, he informed me, that he 

 still continued the use of the whin tea, that he had no 

 cough, and that his skin was remarkably fine and soft, which 

 he attributes to its use. 



I have also used the whin blossoms with good effect my- 

 self, and can safely recommend them. 



My friend supposes the young shoots of furze may answer, 

 Epidemic cold if the blossoms cannot be got. He informs me, that when 



of horses cured an epidemical cold came from Germanv, and destroyed 

 by voung . * J 



shoots of furze, many horses in England, the east wind continued six weeks, 



and the infection came over to Ireland, where he had the 

 care of a troop, in so poor a village that he could get nei- 

 ther bran nor malt for mashes, which were ordered for the 

 horses, with sulphur, after bleeding. That he ordered the 

 men to cut furze, and directed them to give it to the horses, 

 after they had beaten it well on the pavement: that at first 

 ihey had to mix it with oats, but that in two days the horses 



f See Journal, vol. XXI, p. 157 : also vol. XIX, p 282. 



devoured 



