168 NAT. ORDER. COMPOSlTiE. 



in some of the Northern and Middle States. It seeks dry mead- 

 ows, pastures, and open fields, and is often seen growing in such 

 quantities as to produce the appearance of a cultivated flower gar- 

 den. Upon a closer examination it very much resembles the Anthe- 

 mis cotula Mayweed, and Matricaria cliamomilla German camomile, 

 all of which possess nearly the same medical properties, and in 

 appearance look somewhat alike. A double flowered variety is 

 usually kept in the shops, but as the sapid matter chiefly resides in 

 the disk, or tubular part of the florets, the flowers' alone are pre- 

 fered, in which the matter proves most abundant. Both the flowers 

 and leaves of this plant, have a strong though not ungrateful smell, 

 and a very bitter nauseous taste. The flowers give out their virtue, 

 both to water and rectified spirit. 



Medical Properties and Uses. The flowers possess the tonic 

 and stomachic qualities usually ascribed to simple bitters, having 

 very little astringency, but a strong aromatic odor, which is of a 

 very penetrating kind. They are said to possess carminative, 

 emmcnagogue, and in some measure antispasmodic and anodyne 

 properties. In England they have been long and successfully 

 employed for the cure of intermittent, and nervous fevers accom- 

 panied with visceral obstructions. That the flowers may be safely 

 substituted for peruvian bark in the cure of intermittent fevers, 

 appears from the experience and testimony of many respectable 

 physicians, to which we may add that of Dr. Cullen, who sa\^ " I 

 have employed these flowers by giving several times during the 

 intermission, from half a drachm to a drachm of the flowers in pow- 

 der, have cured manv cases of intermittent fevers from their use; 

 but have found, however, that the flowers were attended with this 

 inconvenience, that is, given in a large quantity, they readily run off 

 by stool, defeating thereby the purpose of preventing the return of 

 paroxysms. I have used this in connexion with an opiate or an 

 astringent, that the patient might receive the full benefit of them. 



