SWALLOW-AVOHT. 331 



SWALLOW-WORT. Asckpias. 



Natural Order Contortcc. AponicecB, Juss : a Genus 

 of the Pentandria Digynia Class. 



** With us ther was a Doctour of Phlsike ; 

 In all this world, ne was ther non him like, 

 To spcke of ])hisike 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 veray 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 vi^hom one 

 of the species was anciently consecrated, and 

 it has therefore been made the emblem of me^ 

 dicine. 



It has also had the compound name of Vincc- 

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

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

 pharmic. 



The Endish name of Swallow-wort is from the 



