11 INTRODUCTION. 



7- Linnjeu8 in his Materia Medica, gave a 

 model of systematical Medical Botany, equally 

 concise, perspicuous and accurate; but desti- 

 tute of the help of figures. 



8. This model was followed by Schoepf in 

 his Materia Medica of North America, the 

 first general work on our medical plants, pub- 

 lished in Germany and in Latin towards I787. 

 This small work of Schoepf has never been 



h 





anslated nor republished in America, although 

 ighly deserving of it. 



9. When America was settled, the native 

 •ibcs were in possession of many valuable ve- 

 etable remedies, discovered by long experi- 

 ence, the knowledge of which they gradually 

 imparted to their neighbours. 



10. This knowledge partly adopted even as 

 far as Europe, and partly rejected by medical 

 skepticks, became scattered through our country 

 in the hands of country practitioners, Herba- 

 lists, Empirics and Botanists. 



11. Schoepf collected his materials from them, 

 and noticed about three hundred and sixty plants 

 as medical; but he did not go every where nor 

 exhaust the subject, since nearly double'that 



ally in common use in different 



States of the Ui 



IS. Since the United States have become an 

 independent and iourishing nation, much has 



been done to teach and spread correct medical 



knowledge. 



13. The establishment of Medical Schools, 

 Chairs of Materia Medica, of Medical and 

 Systematical Botany, Medical and Botanic 

 Gardens, Infirmaries, Hospitals, have largely 



