93 FAMILY HERBAL. 



and sharp. Cresses eaten in quantity are Yery good 

 against the scurvy. The seeds open obstructions. 



Water Cress. Nasturtium aquaticum. 



A WILD plant common with us in ditches, and 

 shallow rivers. It is a foot high, the stalks are 

 round, thick, but not very upright, of a pale green, 

 and much branched ; the leaves are of a fresh and 

 bright green, divided in a winged manner and ob- 

 tuse ; the flowers are small and white, and there is 

 generally seen a kind of spike of the flowers and 

 seeds at the top of the stalks. 



The leaves are used ; they may be eaten in the 

 manner of garden cress, and are full as pleasant, 

 and they are excellent against the scurvy. The 

 juice expressed from them has the same virtue, and 

 works also powerfully by urine, and opens ob- 

 structions. 



Sciatica Cress. Iberis, 



A PRETTY wild plant, but not frequent in all 

 parts of the kingdom. It is a foot high. The 

 stalk is round, firm, and upright ; of a pale green 

 colour. The leaves are small, longish, and of a 

 pale green also ; and the flowers stand at the tops 

 of the branches, into which the stalk divides in its 

 upper part ; they are white and little. The leaves 

 that grow immediately from the root, are four 

 inches long ; narrow and serrated about the edges, 

 and of a deep green. 



The leaves are used ; they are recommended 

 greatly in the sciatica or hip-gout ; they are to be 

 applied externally, and repeated as they grow dry. 

 The bestwav is to beat them with a little lard. It 



