^ 



xxxii INTRODUCTION. 



Infufions are the fitteft Forms for thofe Herbs 

 whofe Qualities are light, and whofe Virtue is eafily 

 extraded: In this Cafe, hot Water poured upon 

 them takes up enough of their Virtue, and none 

 is lod in the Operation : Others require to be 

 boiled in the Water. From thefe are thus made 

 what we call Decoflions : And as thefe lafl would 

 not give their Virtues in Infufion, fo the others 

 would loofe it all in the boiling. It would go 

 off with the Vapour. We know very well, that the 

 diftilled Water of any Herb, is only the Vapour 

 o^ the boiled Herb caught by proper VefTels, and 

 condenfcd to Water : Therefore, whether it be 

 caught or let to fly away, all that Virtue muft be 

 !oftln boiling. It is from this, that fome Plants 

 are fit for Decodions, and fome for Infufions, 

 There are fome, which if dillilled give no Virtue 



to the Water, and thefe are fit for Decoctions, 

 which will retain all their Virtue, as Biftort, and 

 Tormentill Roots, and the like. On the contra- 

 ry, an Infufion of Mint, or Pennyroyal, is of a 

 ftrong Tafle, and excellent Virtue ; whereas, a 



Decodion of thefe Herbs, is difagreeable or gcpd 



for nothin^ 



There are Herbs alfo,, which have fo 



^ lice, that it would be impc0ible to get it" out -, 

 and others whofe Virtue lies in theHufks, and Buds, 

 and this would be lofl in the Operation. An In- 

 fufion of thefe, is the right Way of giving them. 

 Thus Mother of Thyme is a dry little Herb, from 

 which it would be hard to get any Juice, and when 

 otten, it would polfcfs very little of its Virtues-, 

 ut an Infufion of Mother of Thym.e pofleifes it 

 entirely. 



, Infufions are of two Kinds. They are either 

 prepared in Quantity, to be drank cold; or they 



are drank as they are made, in the Manner of Tea. 



This 



X 



