‘The Ufeful Family Herbal. 345 
SPEEDWEL. easier oe 
' VERONICA MAS. 
Common little Plant in our dry Paftures, and 
on Heaths. The Stalks are fix or eight — 
Inches long; the Leaves. are fhort, and of an 
oval.Figure. The Stalks are not upright: They 
trail along the Ground, only rifing at thin upper 
Parts. ‘The Leaves are of a pale green Colour, 
a little hairy, and dentated at the Edges: The 
_ Flowers are fmall and blue, they grow in flen- 
. der Spikes, arifing from the Bofoms of the Leaves 
the Root is final! and fibrous. 
The whole Herb is ufed, and it is beft freth. 
An Infufion of it drank in Quantities, works by 
Urine, and opens all Objtructions: It promotes 
the Menfes. There was an Opjnion. lately that 
3 
picked from the Stalks, were fold in our Markets, 
and People made a Tea of them. The Opinion 
was fo prevalent, that the Plant was in a Manner 
deftroyed for many Miles about London, but like 
all other Things, that want Truth for their Foun- 
: ‘ 2 : 
_ dation, it came to nothing. sai 2S aie 
SPIGNEL, 
“MEUM. - | 
A Wild Plant not altogether unlike Fennel. It 
+ crows two or three Feet high. The Sralks. 
are round, ftriated, and branched. ‘The Leaves 
are large, and divided like thofe of Fennel, but _ 
into narrower, and finer Parts, and they are of a 
very dark green Colour. The Flowers are little 
and white, ie they ftand in Clufters at the Tops. 
of the Stalks, and are confpicuous by their Num-_ 
ber, The Root is long and brown, and there are 
SS 3 always 
_ this Plant would cure the Gout. The dried Leaves 
