NAT. ORDER. SCROFHULARINEiG. 43 



of Malabar ; but this plant, like its congeners, is now suspected 

 of possessing deleterious properties. The dose, and method of 

 administration, we will not attempt to recommend, not being suf- 

 ficiently acquainted with its uses, and, more especially, on account 

 of not knowing for what purpose it can be administered to any 

 advantage. 



An extract was formerly prepared from this plant, by obtain- 

 ing the expressed juice from the fresh green leaves, and afterwards 

 subjected to the evaporation of the sun, until it was reduced to a 

 consistency suitable for rolling into pills. From one to two five- 

 grain pills were recommended at a dose, and repeated from once 

 to three times a day. These pills became quite celebrated at one 

 time, for the cure of various obstinate diseases ; but were only 

 resorted to where other more harmless medicines proved ineffec- 

 tual. Obstinate fevers, agues, coughs, asthma, rheumatism, gout, 

 and dysenteria, were the principal disorders said to be benefited 

 by it : but it soon lost its popularity, and fell into disrepute ; and 

 is now entirely discarded from the practice of medicine. 



Propagation and Culture. The Spanish formerly cultivated 

 several species of the Mimulus, not as an ornament, but more par- 

 ticularly for its medical qualities. Their plan was — first, to plant 

 the cuttings ten or twelve inches from each other, in furrows, or 

 rows, laid out about three and a half feet apart : the soil should 

 be of a gravelly or sandy character, and well manured ; the weeds 

 &c. kept down with a hoe, and the earth loosened a few times af- 

 ter they have taken root. 



