for the Cure of the Ujdrophob'ia, 2,^'j 



*' What degree of confidence ought to be placed on the 

 medicine, mull be left to the judgment of the difcerning; as 

 alfo, whether a preference ought not to be given to that grand 

 correftor and blunter of all animal poifons, olive oil; 

 efpecially if camphor is diflblved in it ? We have an account 

 from the continent of its curing the hydrophobia in a very 

 advanced ftate, when given in large dofes ; and we know that 

 it certainly is an effectual cure for the bites of ferpents, 

 vipers, &c." ' 



From w hat fource the author of this letter learnt that the 



rities, powder it ami wafli it : the finer part may be decanted into another 

 vellL-l ; the impurities will remain. After the finer parts are fubfided,pour 

 off the water, and dry the bole for uic. Bole was formerly much efteemed 

 as an alexipharmic, and fingularly ferviceable in malignant and peftilential 

 difeafes. 



" The inula, or elecampane, grows commonly in moift places, and is 

 often cultivated in gardens; the flower is a yellowifli-green, fomewhat 

 fimilar to a chryfanthemum, hut larger. According to Linn^us, it is the 

 fecond order of the 19th clafs, Synginrjia Polygamia fiiperjlua. The root 

 is here to be ufed only. In the recent iVate it does not fmell fo ftrong as 

 in the dry; for it then is highly aromatic. The proper time for taking 

 up the root is toward the end of September. The druggifts have a trick, 

 of mixing other fubftances with it when it is purchafed from them in 

 powder. As a medicine, it was formerly in high eflimation. Rembertus 

 Dodonsi, an eminent German botanift, who wrote about 220 years fince, 

 fays it is an excellent remedy againft the bite and flings of all venomous 

 animals. Dr. Hill fays, from his own experience, that an infufion of the 

 frefh root, fwcctcned with honey, is an excellent remedy for the hooping- 

 cough. 



" We now come to the liverwort, which ftands part of the original pre- 

 fcription, although often omitted. Dr. Mead judged it of that importance 

 as to recommend it, with black pepper, under the title Pidvis Aniilyjfus, to 

 the College of Phyficians; and it found a place in the Difpenfatory. Ca- 

 niiius, liverwort: the leaves are covered with a kind of afh-coloured meal- . 

 inefs, leather-like, flat with blunt lobes, targets on the edge afcending. 

 Dillcnius 200, tab 27, fig. loz, calls it Lichcnoidfi digitatum cmereum 

 LtituCit foliis fuiuofis. It grows common on old cops, heaths, woods, and 

 hedges. Mr. Hvulfon calls this genus Liverwort : but, as the Marchantia 

 of Linn:tus is commonly known by the name of Liverwort, it is neceflfary 

 tu rTicntion this diticrence in order to avoid miflakes ; for, when once a per- 

 fon is acquainted with this Cryptoganiia plant, he will not eafily forget it 

 when he fees it again. Dr. Withering, of Birmingham, a fcnfible, well 

 informed, and ingenious gentleman, gives this genus the Englifli appella- 

 tion of Cupthong.'' 



Vol. Vr. LI hydro- 



