^he Ufeful Family Herbal, 391 



Kind, and very diflinf): in its whole upper Ap- 

 pearance from that, and all of its Sort. It 



two Feet hi^h. The Stalks arc round, upright 



firm, and toward the Top divided into Branch 

 cs, the Leaves are very numerous, and Hand 

 irregularly. They are longifh, narrow, point- 

 ed at the Ends, not at all dented at the Edges, 

 and of a dulky green Colour. The Flowers are 

 little and yellow, they ftand in fmall Clufters ar 

 the Tops of the Branches, and under them is a 

 Kind of Spike of Pods, thcfe are long and flender, 

 green at firft, but of a Kind of brown Colour 

 when ripe ; and in each is a great Number of 

 Seeds; thefe are round, fmall, and of an extremely 

 bitter Tafte, much more bitter tlian the common 

 .Worm feed 



This Seed is the Part ufed. The good Womefl 

 bruife it, and mixing it with Treacle, give it to the 

 Children of robuft ConlVitutions again ft Worms. 

 It operates powerfully by Stool, and is given in 

 too large a Quantity by Vomit. It is therefore 

 to be ufed with Difcretion, but it will anfwer the 

 Purpofe, and is preferable for many Reafons, to 

 thofe mercurial Medicines, which it is the Fafhion 

 of the Times to give to People for thofe Diforders, 

 efpecially in the Country, where there feldom is 

 Skill enough in the Pra(5litioner to manage as he 

 ought IVIedicines, which may be the Occafion of 

 fo much Mifchief. 



Common Wormwood. 



ABSYNTHIUM VULGARE. 



A Wild Plant frequent by Way-fides, and on 

 ^^ Ditch-Banks. • It is a Yard high. The Stalks 

 are round, ftriated, white, firm, and branched. 

 The Leaves are large, but they are divided into 



^^reat Number of finallParts. They are of a pale 



C c 4. whitifh 



