\m FAMILY HERBAL. 



The Eufhorbium Plant. Euphnruium. 



A VERY strange plant, native of the hot conn- 

 tries, and unlike every thing that is known in 

 this part of the world. It is ten or twelve feet 

 high, and is of a solid thick body, of a triangu- 

 lar or else a square figure, as thick as a. man's 

 leg, and is divided by knots placed at distan- 

 ces, so as to seem made up of several joints. The 

 edges of the body are all beset with very sharp 

 prickles ; the plant itself is composed only of a 

 pulpy soft matter, covered with a thick rind, of 

 a green colour ; it abounds with a milky juice, 

 but so acrid that there is no bearing a drop of it 

 a moment on the tongue. The plant often con- 

 sists of one single stem, such as is just described, 

 but frequently it sends out several branches ;. these 

 are naked in the same manner as the main stem. 

 All that have beside the prickles, are a kind of 

 thin films or membranes, small and growing from 

 their bases, but the plant is altogether without 

 leaves. The flowers grow three together among 

 the thorns, and the fruit is a vessel containing three 

 ieed.s. 



The gum which sweats out from this plant, is 

 used in medicine ; it is yellowish and comes forth 

 in small drops, its taste is sharp and insupporta- 

 ble ; it is a violent purge, and is recommended 

 against dropsies, but we scarce ever prescribe it, 

 it is s:> very rough ; it is sometimes used outwardly 

 among other things applied to the feet in violent 

 fevers. 



EvEBuitiiiT. Euphrasia. 



A VF.RY pretty low herb common in our mea- 

 dow , with woody stalks, and bright and little 



