212 OBSTACLES TO THE 



in the rheumatifm, the apothecary fome- 

 times gives the root of the meadow faf^ 

 fron \ fometimes of one of the irifes^ which 

 differ from it in vertue. Hence the 

 effed of the phyfician's prefcription being 

 uncertain, he is at lail obliged to give 

 it up entirely. For the fcahious they give 

 the centaury^ Fl. Suec. 708. For the bran- 

 kurfine^ the cow-parfnep^ 231 j the root 

 of the toothwort^ which is excellent in 

 the tooth-ach, is negleded, becaufe the 

 apothecary does not know, whether it 

 ought to be taken from the toothwort 

 565, or 518, or fome other plant. In- 

 llead of the root of the burnet faxifrage, 

 which is a good aftringent in the haemor- 

 rhage, the root of the burnet is wrongly 

 fubftituted. To this may be referred the 

 miftake of felling the St, Johi's wort 624 

 for the St. John's-wort 625, which is vul- 

 nerary and good in worm cafes. 



9- 



"The ignorance of phyficians in botany^ or their 



want of care to reje^ ufelefs^ fpurious and im- 

 proper fuccedaneums. 



We fufped that this formerly was the cafe ; 

 but now, that the knowledge of botany is 



carried 



