32 NAT. ORDER. VERTlCILLAt.*:. 



native of Spain, and is said to grow plentifully, also, in Greece, 

 Egypt, Crete, Syria, and in some of the warmer parts of South 

 America. 



Whether this plant was known to the ancients or not, does 

 not appear from the descriptions of Theophrastus and Dioscorides. 

 Cortusus discovered that cats are remarkably fond of Marum ; 

 and from this circumstance we are enabled with certainty to trace 

 back its history to his time ; for ever since it has been known by 

 the name of Cat-thyme. There occurs, however, considerable dif- 

 ficulty in ascertaining its synonyma ; and probably some of those 

 to which we have referred are not sufficiently identified. It was 

 first cultivated in England by Parkinson, in 1640, and is now to 

 be found in many of the gardens throughout Europe and the 

 United States. 



Medical Properties and Uses. The leaves and younger bran- 

 ches of Marum, when recent, on being rubbed between the fin- 

 gers, emit a volatile, aromatic smell, which readily excites sneezing; 

 but to the taste they are bitterish, accompanied by a sensation of 

 heat and acrimony. Lewis says that the Marum, loses but little 

 of its pungency on being dried ; and in this respect it differs re- 

 markably from many other acrid herbs, as those called anti-scor- 

 butics. The ancients, to whom this plant was well known, attri- 

 buted to it a peculiar antiseptic and alexipharmic power, and for 

 many ages it had the character of being remarkably efficacious 

 in all pestilential and putrid diseases. With a view to this, it was 

 afterwards directed in the composition of several officinal medi- 

 cines, supposed to be antidotes to various kinds of poisons and in- 

 fections ; and we are told that it was successfully used in the 

 plague, which raged in Turkey. But, notwithstanding this plant 

 was such a celebrated remedy, and held a place in both the Lon- 

 don and Edinburgh Pharmacopseias, yet it appears to be a very 

 insignificant article of the Materia Medica, and is therefore very 

 justly fallen into disuse. 



