VI INTRODUCTION. 



Drugs ougbt to be botanically acquainted with 



them, so as to distinguish the genuine kinds, 

 and detect the frauds or blunders of the collec- 

 tors and- herbalists. 



^^. Works on Medical Botany are of two 

 kinds, with or without figures. This last kind 



includes all the Materia Medicas, Dispensa- 

 tories, Pharmacologies, Pharmacopeias, &c. 

 which try to convey the knowledge of medical 

 substances by mere descriptions. 



36. The other kind, and the most useful, em- 

 ploy, Iconography or figures, besides descrip- 

 tive references, to give a complete knowledge 



of the officinal plants: such are the HerbalSf 

 Medical Botanies, Medical Floras, &c. 



37. A Critical List shall be given of such 

 Works or Essays relating to our Plants, which 

 have been consulted: but the three principal 

 works with figures, deserve perhaps a separate 

 notice. 



38. Bigel6w and W. Barton published some 

 years ago, and towards tlie same time, two vo- 

 luminous and expensive Works on Medical 

 Botany. Barton's Work in two volumes quarto, 

 contains only fifty plants and figures, and Bige- 

 low's sixty in three volumes quarto. 



39. Several plants aie descvibed and figured 

 in botli works, reducing the total number of 

 medical plants given to about eighty, for which 



the price is about forty dollars or half a dollar 

 for every plant. 



40. These imperfect and costly works have 

 each their merit, and although not free from 

 errors and omissions, are useful assistants to 

 those who can afford to buy them. Bi'^elow'i 



