182 FLORA- HI3T0RICA. 



ful plant, which frequently grows to the height of 

 ten feet under the cultivation of the florist, in the 

 neighbourhood of Ghent. This species was first 

 discovered in the woods of Madeira by Masson, who 

 introduced it to this country in 1777; but, as it 

 requires the shelter of a green-house for the winter 

 months, it continues rare in our flower-gardens. 

 Our botanical gardens now possess thirteen dis- 

 tinct species of the DigitaUs, besides varieties. 



The Digitalis, which, at present, performs so 

 essential a part in the Materia Medica, appears to 

 have been entirely unknown to the ancient sons of 

 ^sculapius; and it is to the English students of 

 medicine that Europe is indebted for the discovery 

 of the powerful properties of this plant, so justly 

 celebrated for reheving many dangerous complaints : 

 for, although it has fallen short of entirely crushing 

 the gigantic and terrible progress of consumptions, 

 as at one time hopes were entertained that it would 

 have done, yet it has been found a valuable remedy 

 in that disease, as well as in dropsy, fevers, inflam- 

 matory afPections of the chest, scrofula, Sec. But 

 the most remarkable effect which this medicine pro- 

 duces on die human frame, is the diminution of the 

 frequency of the pulsations of the heart, and conse- 

 quently of the arteries. 



The Fox-Glove is decidedly poisonous, and 

 dierefore totally unfit for domestic use ; and, hke 



