ANCHUSA OFFICINALIS. ORD. XVIII. Asperifolic.. ; 307 
The root, leaves, and flowers of this plant have all been admitted 
of the Materia Medica, though it would seem without any just claim 
to that distinction. To the taste they discover no other quality than 
that of being sweetish and glutinous, excepting only a slight bitter- 
ness of the flowers. 
Bergius ascribes an aperient and refrigerant virtue to this plant, 
and states its use to be in “ardor viscerum,” and also in hypochon- 
driasis. However, as all the common oloraceous plants are cooling 
and laxative, these properties are no peculiar recommendation of 
Bugloss. 
The utility of this herb in melancholic and hypochondriacal dis- 
orders has been asserted ever since the time of Dioscorides;* and 
when it is considered that wine was generally the vehicle in which 
the plant was administered, we are not surprised that it so long 
maintained the character of exhilerating the spirits. In this way 
likewise may be explained why the flowers of Bugloss have been ~ 
reckoned one of the four cordial flowers. 
* ———_—. * quo vino inditum animi biceps augere, hilaritatemque offerre 
ereditur,” &c, Dios. d, iv, e, 128. 
re Te 
_ SYMPHYTUM OFFICINALE, COMMON COMFREY. 
SYNONYMA. Consolida. Pharm. Geoff. vol. tii. 353. Dale. 
138, Alston. vol. 7. 525. Lewis. 248. Edin. New Disp. 176. 
Bergius.85. Murray. vol. ii. 92. Cullen. v. ti. 413. Symphy- 
tum. Hall. Stirp. Helo. No. 600. Scop. Flor. Carn. No. 195. 
Symphytum Consolida major. Bauh. Pin. 259. Gerard. Emac. 
806. Symphytum majus vulgare. Park. Theat. 523. Raii. 
Synop. 230. S. officinale. Huds. Ang. p. 81. With. Bot. Arr. 
195. Curt. Flor. Lond. Flor. Dan. 664. 
