122 FAMILY HERBAL. 



of small lumpSj fastened together hy filaments. 

 This root is the part most used ; it is good in fit* 

 of the gravel, for it promotes urine greatlj and 

 safelj. For this purpose the juice should he given, 

 or a strong deeoction of the fresh root. When 

 dried it may be given in powder to stop the whites 

 and purgingSj it is a gentle and safe astringent. 



There are several other plants called in English 

 dropworts^ which are very different in their qua- 



d one of thein is poisonous in a terrible 

 degree; this last is called hemlock dropwort; care 



ust therefore be taken that the right kind is used. 



y 



but this is sufficiently different from all the others* 

 The flower is composed of six little leaves^ and is 

 full of vellow threads in the middle : the flowers of 



com 



They are all umbelliferous plants^ but this is not 

 the flowers grow in clusters, but not in umbels 

 ihcy grow like those of the ulraaria or meadoi 

 sweet. 



Duck-weed. Leiiticiila. 



A SMALL green herb, consisting of single^ little 

 roundish leaves, which float upon the surface of 

 the water, and send their roots into it for nourish- 

 ment, without sticking then! into the mud. It is 

 the small green herb thai covers almost all our 

 standing waters in summer. There are two other 

 kinds of it, one with smaller leaves and many fibres 

 from each, another with only one fibre from each 

 leaf: both these are green all over; and a third 

 kind with larger leaves, which are purple under- 

 neath, but all these have the same virtue, and it 

 iarno matter which is taken. The luice is to be 



giv 



ed for several d 



It works powerfully by urinc^ ard opens 



