IMPROVEMENT OF PHYSIC. 217 



ranked amongft the emollients^ although 

 not one among all the umbilliferom kind 

 that i know of, is famous for this quality. 

 The people of America ought to give 

 the mitreola^ Hort. Cliff, for the bite of 

 ferpents inftcad of the ophiorrbiza •, which 

 if they were to do, they would hardly 

 ever fail of fuccefs, if botanifts be not 

 greatly miftakenr 



13- 

 ne negle5f of vulgar medicines eaftly to he fro- 

 cured. For we owe the very beft of our me- 

 dicines to the vulgar, who have been taught 

 the ufe of them by neceflity, and conceal 

 them as fecrets. 



We learned the ufe of the mezereon in the 

 cancer from the countrey people. The 

 noble liverwort is reckoned a fpecific in 

 hypochondriac affedions by the Goth- 

 landers. The linme^ is commonly ufed 

 by the Oflrobotlmians in gouty pains. 

 The common people ufe pepper often- 

 times very injudicioufly in acute diftem- 

 pers ; in eruptive fevers under certain 

 circumftances very rightly. The coun- 

 trey people taught us the vertues of the 

 thrujlj-mofs for fore throats •, of the hop 



in 



