INTRODUCTION. 



Commodiously by infusioo^ niay be acco'unlrd 

 manj of those which are pectoral, and good iii 

 coughs, as colts-fool, ground-ivj, and ihe like ; 

 the light and aromatic^ good in nervous disorders, 

 as mother of thvme, balm, and the like ; the 

 bitters are also excellent in infusion, but very 

 disagreeable in decoction; thus boiling water 

 poured upon Roman wormwood, gentian root^ 

 and crenge peel, makes a \ery excellent bitter. 

 It need only stand till the liquor is cold, and may 

 be then poured off for use. 



It is often proper to add some purging ingre- 

 ■'ient to this bitter infusion : and a little fresh 



Se\ 



dy root excellently answers that 

 t spoiling the taste of the medicini 



Terv well 



& 



to infusion, as purging flax, and the like ; and 

 the fresh root of polypody alone is a very good 

 one : a little lemon juice added to the last named 

 infusion does no harm; and it takes off what is 

 disagreeable in the taste, in the same manner as 

 it does from an infusion of sena. 



Thus we see what a great number of purpoies 

 may be answeredv by infusions, and they are the 

 most familiar of all preparations. IN 

 quired, but pouring some boiling water up 

 the planfs fresh or dried, as already directed, and 

 pouring it off again when cold. 



Decoctions are contrived to answer the purpose 

 of infusions, upon plants which arc of so firm a 

 texture, that they will not easily yield forth their 

 useful parts. In these the ingredients are to be 

 boiled in ihe water, as in the others, the boiling 



be poured oyer them. In gener 



leaves, flowers, and entire nlants. whether fresh 



cir dried, are used in infusions ; the roots and 

 |)arks in decoctions. 



An earthee pipkin, with a close cover^ is tl-e 



