IMPROVEMENT OF I>HYSIC. 221 



and Indian crefs^ and the alUfawce^ ought 

 to be Ibid in the fhops frcfh, and not dry- 

 cd ; in order to be of any fervice in the 

 fcurvy. The recent root of the rofe-wort 

 is vaftly fuperior to the dry in head-achs. 

 Befides it ought carefully to be confider- 

 ed in what part of a plant its vertue re- 

 fides. Thus it is the juice of the poppy^ 

 that fpreads over the brain, as it were, a 

 .Lethean drowfinefs ; and not the feeds^ 

 for thefe are eatable. The fagacity of the 

 moderns has reduced the immenfe num- 

 ber of diflilled waters to a very fmall lift. 



Negle^ in cultivating plants. Hence apothe-. 

 caries are neceflitated to fell plants which they 

 have had by them many years, and which have 

 loft all their vertues. 



The fpikenard is more durable, perhaps than 

 any other plant ; for it will keep its fra- 

 grance above an age, as appears by Burfe- 

 rus's Herbary. But other plants are very 

 different in this refped. e. g. the root of 

 ginfcng^ tho' a great reftorative, being fo 

 very coftly, is leldom prefcribed \ and when 

 it is, it generally has loft its properties 

 thro' age. For which reafon we ought to 



con* 



