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LXIII. On the Properties of Furze or Whins. By Major 

 Spencer Cochrane, of Muirfield' House, near Had- 

 dington *• 



Sib, X HE Society having honoured me by publishing iu 

 their 23ih vokime my comniunication, stating the advan- 

 tages arisine: from the culture oF poppies, and that seven 

 ciinces of fiiie salad oil were furnished by expression from 

 two pounds of the seed ; I now beg leave to add^ that J am 

 informed, considerable quantities of poppy seeds have been 

 Jately 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 almouds. 



The following communication may perhaps be deemed 

 worthy the notice of the society ; it relates to the use of 

 Whins or Furze. Its'utility as food for cattle has been long 

 known, though probably^ not sufficiently appreciated; butas 

 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 seventy-five years of age, and in good health, and 

 what he says may be depended upon. In October 1806, 

 he informed me that his sight had been much strengthened 

 by drinking an infusion of whin or furze blossoms, dried in 

 the sun in sumnjer. 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 ; that he never had a cough 

 since he first used it, which was fifty years ago ; it acts as 

 a diuretic, and by perspiration, and, when the dose is in- 

 creased, promotes sleep. In October ISOS, he informed 

 me that he still continued the use of the whin -tea, that hb 

 had no cough, and ihat his skin was remarkably fine and 

 goft, which he attributes lo 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 an- 

 swer if the blossoms cannot be got ; he informs me, that 

 when an epidemical cold came from Germany, and destroyed 

 many horses in England, the east wind continued six weeks, 

 ^nd the infection came over to Ireland, where he had the 

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



* From Transactions of the Socv'ty for the Encouragemenl of Ails^ Maimfao 

 furesj and Coi/inuice, for J SOU. 



neither 



