SALVIA OFFICINALIS. ORD. XIX. Verticillate. 353 
into three roundish lobes, of which the middle one is the largest: 
the calyx is tubular, large, reddish, striated, bilabiated, and cut 
into acute segments; the two filaments are short, and crossed trans- 
versely by two others affixed to them; the antherz are large and 
yellow; the style is long, filiform, of a blue colour, and the stigma 
is bifid; the seeds are four, roundish, naked, and placed at the 
bottom of the calyx. 
Sage is indiginous to the southern parts of Europe, and was cul- 
tivated in this country by Gerard, who first published a figure of 
this plant in the year 1597, and it is now a constant inhabitant of 
the kitchen garden: it has a fragrant strong smell, and a warm 
bitterish aromatic taste, like other plants containing an essential 
oil; it gives out its properties more perfectly to spirituous than to 
aqueous menstrua. In ancient times sage was celebrated as a 
remedy of great efficacy ;* but, at present, few practitioners con- 
sider it as an article of much importance in the Materia Medica; 
and although frequently employed as a sudorific, it seems to have 
no advantage over other plants, whose aromatic flavour renders 
the fluid in which they are infused more acceptable to the stomach ;. 
and by some it has been successfully used even for the purpose of 
restraining inordinate sweating.” As possessing a small share of 
* ¢ Cur moriatur homo cui salvia crescit in horto? 
Contra vim mortis non est medicamen in hortis.” 
— * Salvia salvatrix nature.conciliatrix.” 
— * Salvia cum ruta faciunt tibi pocula tuta.” 
‘¢ Efficacia et nomen herbe dedit (a salvando) et cumulum laudum attulit, in: 
tremore artuum, paralysi, obstructione menstruorum, fluore albo, arthritide & 
rheumatismo, morbis contagiosis, apthis, ulceribus, aliisque multis morbis, quorum 
nemina colligere absque testium fide non interest.’’ Murray Ap. Med. vol. 2.. 
p- 167. 
> Infused in wine or spirit, Van Swieten found it remarkably efficacious in stop- 
ping night sweats. Vide Comment. tom. 2. p. 370.—Quarin remarks, that a 
strong infusion of sage in water was experienced to be equally successful... Method, 
med. febr. p. 37.—Baron Van Swieten also found it useful im restraining the im- 
proper continuing of a flow of milk from the breasts of women, after they had: 
weaned their children. Com, tom. 4. p. 645, 
No. 30,— vou.3. Av 
