HERBS. 397 
The French have a proverb, ‘‘On prend plus de mouches avec 
une cuillerée de miel quwavec un tonneau de vinaigre; (on réussit 
mieux par la douceur, que par la hauteur, et la fierté)”’—‘* Gentle- 
ness goes further than harshness, or severity.” 
Garden Thyme, a cultivated form of Wild Thyme (Thymus 
serpyllum, or “ creeping’’), is a familiar denizen of our kitchen 
herb-bed, being put into seasonings, stuffing, and sauces. It 
has a very fragrant odour, and a pungent, aromatic taste, because 
of its essential volatile oil, which consists of two hydrocarbons, 
with thymol as the fatty base, this thymol taking high modern 
rank as an antiseptic. It will arrest gastric fermentation when 
given judiciously as Thyme tea; also when applied externally 
Thymol will disinfect, and destroy the germs which characterize 
several forms of skin disease. The Oil of Thyme is known com- 
mercially as Oil of Origanum. Thymol is the basis of the 
fragrant volatile Essence of Sweet Thyme. By mixture with 
spirit it makes an admirable antiseptic remedy for inhalation, 
on absorbent cotton-wool within a respirator for the purpose. 
Thyme oil is of equal service with tar for treating such skin 
affections as psoriasis, and eczema. When inhaled it is most 
useful against septic sore throat, especially during scarlet fever. 
For curing ringworm in children, an ointment made with 
one drachm of Thymol, and one ounce of soit paraffin, is 
found to be a sure specific. To “smell of Thyme” was a 
former panegyric bestowed on writers who had mastered the 
Attic style. Dr. Neovius has told enthusiastically in Finland 
about the paramount virtues of Common Thyme for combating 
whooping-cough. He has found that the pounded herb, if 
given fresh, from one to six ounces a day, mixed with a 
little syrup, regularly for some weeks, is practically a specific 
cure. If it be taken from the first, then the most active symptoms 
become much modified in two, or three days, and in a fortnight 
the disease is expelled. The simplicity, harmlessness, and 
cheapness of this homely remedy go far to commend its use. 
Thyme, again, bears the appellation ‘‘ Mother of Thyme’’ in 
allusion to its beneficial uses by women. “ Serpyllum matricem 
(womb) comfortat, et mundificat” ; being called also in Latin 
‘* Matris animula, quod menstrua movet.” Thyme tea is good 
against nervous headaches, hysterical troubles, flatulence, and 
the headache which follows inebriation. ‘‘A conserve made — 
from the flowers and leaves of Thyme, relieves those troubled 
