26 NAT. ORDER. LAURACE^. 



but this effect speedily disappears. In robust habits it usually ope- 

 rates quickly, and with a considerable degree of violence ; in the 

 infirm and feeble, more slowly, so that the dose should not in any 

 case be hastily increased. It sometimes proves fatal, and Morgagni 

 has recorded the appearances on dissection of a woman who was 

 killed by it ; though we are inclined to think that this plant was the 

 nerium oleander of Linnaeus, sometimes called rhododendron, or the 

 rlwdodendron ferrugineum which has similar powers. 



Sirup of Rose Bay. The illustrious and celebrated Parkinson 

 in his treatise upon the vegetable creation, has ascribed many vir- 

 tues to this plant. He relates many cases, where cures were per- 

 formed by the adminstration of this simple decoction alone, many 

 of which would appear almost incredible were it not from a reliable 

 source. He gave it in the form of a sirup, prepared in the following 

 manner, viz. Take of the dried leaves of rhododendron arhoreum, 

 rose hay, two ounces ; berries, after being dried, one ounce ; pepatica 

 nmericana, liverwort, one ounce ; puhnonaria officinalis common 

 lungwort, one ounce ; steep all these together over a slow fire in 

 one gallon of water down to three quarts, strain off", and add w^hen 

 cold, two pounds of bee's honey, one quart of best French brandy, 

 one and a half pounds loaf sugar, and flavor it with the essence of 

 wintergreen. This has been found highly servicable in the treat- 

 ment of coughs, colds, consumption, and all pulmonary diseases. 

 The dose is from a table-spoon full to half a wine-glass full, to be 

 taken three or four times a day. 



