382 MEALS MEDICINAL. 
babies are “ brought by the stork.” The Parsley root is faintly 
aromatic, and has a sweetish taste. It contains a chemical 
principle “ apiin,” with sugar, starch, and an aromatic volatile 
oil. Likewise the fruit furnishes the same volatile oil in larger 
abundance, this oil comprising parsley-camphor, and “ apiol ” 
{the true essential oil of Parsley). Such “apiol” is dispensed 
by our druggists, and is of singular use for correcting female 
irregularities of periodical function. Country folk in many 
places think it unlucky to sow Parsley, or to move its roots ; 
and a rustic adage puts it that ‘‘ Fried Parsley brings a man to 
his saddle, and a woman to her grave.” The bruised leaves 
when applied externally, will serve to soften breasts which are 
hard in early lactation, and to resolve them whilst nursing when 
knotty, and painful, with threatened abscess. Likewise the 
bruised leaves have successfully dispelled tumours suspected 
to be cancerous, when more orthodox remedies had failed. It is 
quite certain that the dispersion, or healing of cancerous growths, 
and tumours, have followed administration of this, and other 
herbal medicaments, even in advanced cases of an undeniably 
malignant character: such remedies to wit as Celandine, Clover, 
Comfrey, Cinnamon, and Violets. If cause and effect are at 
work in such cases, it is possible that some occult common 
principle underlies, and runs through them all, which has yet 
to be discovered. Though used so commonly at table, yet 
Parsley is proved by indisputable facts to have induced epilepsy 
in certain bodily systems when eaten to excess, particularly whilst 
uncooked. Alston says: “I have observed, after raw Parsley 
has been eaten freely, a fulness of the blood-vessels about the 
head, and an inflamed state of the eyes, with congestion of the 
face, as if the cravat were too tight.” The name was formerly 
spelt “Percely,” and the adjective title ‘ petroselinum ” 
signifies growing on a rock. In France a rustic application to 
scrofulous swellings is successfully used, which consists of green 
Parsley, and snails, pounded together in a mortar to the thickness 
of an ointment, some of which is spread on linen, and applied 
liberally every day. Parsley tea exercises a decided action 
on the lining membrane of the urinary passages, and may be 
given helpfully when this is sore, or inflamed. The essential 
oil of Parsley has proved beneficial against epilepsy in certain 
subjects. 
The excellence of Parsley-sauce—useful as a medicament— 
