SWALLOW-WORT. 305 



SWALLOW- WORT. Asclcpias, 



Natural Order Coniortfu. Jponiccce, Juss. A Genus 

 of the Penlandria D/gynia Class. 



With us ther was a Doctour of Pliisike ; 

 In all this world ne was ther iion him like, 

 To speke of phisike and of surgerie ; 



He knew the cause of every maladie, 

 Were it of cold, or hote, or moist, or drie. 

 And wher engendred, and of what humour : 

 He was a very parfite practisour. 



Chaucer. 



These plants are named Asclepias, from iEscu- 

 lapius, the God of Medicine, who is said to have 

 discovered its virtues, and to whom one of the spe- 

 cies was anciently consecrated ; and it has therefore 

 been made the emblem of medicine. 



It has also had the compound name of Vince- 

 toxicum, Tame-poison, or Master- poison, bestowed 

 on it, on account of its being esteemed as an alexi- 

 pharmic. 



The English name of Swallow-wort is from the 

 Dutch Swahiw-worlel ; and that is a translation 

 of the old appellation Hlrundinaria, under which 

 it is found in the works of Otho Brunfelsius, and 



