THE 



PHILOSOPHICAL MAGAZINE. 



I. On Wuters distilled from inodorous Plants*. 



1-jVERY plant whatever has a decided smell peculiar to it- 

 self; in some, however, it is so feeble that it is scarcely per- 

 ceptible. This is certainly the reason why at one time plants 

 were divided into odorous and inodorous : the former were 

 regarded as enjoying many more properties than the latter ; 

 and for this reason, much more confidence was placed in 

 those medicines prepared from odorous than from inodorous 

 vegetables. 



It must be admitted that the opinion formed on this sub- 

 ject is not absurd ; in fact, it is impossible to lay aside the 

 idea, that a substance which affects the organ of smelling in 

 a remarkable manner, should also produce upon the animal 

 oeconomy a more remarkable influence than a substance 

 which emits little or no smell : as a necessary consequence 

 of this reasoning, we ought to conclude that waters distilled 

 from inodorous plants have no virtue, and do not differ from 

 common distilled water. Many medical men are even so 

 convinced that the above ideas are correct, that they never 

 prescribe such waters as may be distilled from inodorous 

 plants, but always substitute infusions or decoctions of 

 them. 



Some particular observations, however, seem to ascertain 

 that the kind of proscription which has been denounced 

 against waters distilled from inodorous plants is ill founded ; 

 and, if they have been often remarked to have no effect, it 

 has been because the requisite precautions were not used in 

 their preparation. 



It remains, then, to ascertain the mode of preparation 



* From Journal dr Medccine. 



Vol. 25. No. 97. June is<>6. A 2 necei 



