128 FA^IILY HEKCAL 



The EupHORBiuM Plant. Euplinruiam. 



A VERY strange plant, native of the hot coun- 

 tries^ and unlike every thing that is known ia 

 this part of the world. It is ten or twelve feet 

 highj and is of a solid thick body, of a triangu- 

 lar or else a square figure^ as thick as a. man's 

 leo;, and is divided by knots placed at di 



de up 



Th 



edges of the body are all beset Avitli very sharp 



ulant itself is comuosed only of a 



prickles ; the 



pulpy soft matter, covered with a thick rind^ of 

 a green colour ; it abounds with a milky juice, 

 but so acrid that there is no bearing a drop of it 

 a moment on tlie tongue. The plant often con* 

 sifits of one single stem, such as is just described, 

 but frequently it sends <mt several branches ; these 

 are naked in the same manner as the main stem. 

 All that have ]>eside the prickles^ are a kind of 

 thin films or membranes^ small and growing from 

 their bases, but the plant is altogether without 

 leaves. The flowers grow three together among 

 the thorns, and the fruit is a vessel containing three 



The gum which sweats out from this plant^ is 

 used in medicine ; it i^ jellowish and comes forth 

 in small drops^ its taste is sharp and insupporta- 

 ble ; it is a violent purge^ and is recounneaded 

 against dropsies, but we scarce ever prescribe it, 

 it is so very rough ; it is sometimes used outwardly 

 amoijg other things applied to the feet in violeni 



U 



EvECRiGHT. Eupkra^ia. 



A VlsRY pretty low herb common in our nica- 

 4oWi, \Y'*li w;}'dy stalk-, ti.J bright .^jd Httie 



