182 FAMILY HERBAL. 



Within there are twenty or thirty seeds ; they are 

 of the bigness f a small nutmeg', "when we see 

 them : they are roundish, and very rough upon 

 the surface : each is of a woody substance, and, 

 when tasted, is of the flavour of citron seeds, but 

 extremely bitter and nauseous. The colour is of 

 all grey or Brownish. 



These seeds ale what we use in medicine, and 

 call the St. Ignatius's bean. It is a medicine, to be 

 given with great caution, but it has many virtues : 

 the most powerful remedies, when in ill hands, are 

 naturally the most dangerous ; the powder given 

 in a small dose occasions vomiting and purging, 

 and oftew, if the constitution be tender, convulsions ; 

 it is much better to give it in tincture, when no 

 such effects happen from it. 'Tis of an excellent 

 effect against nervous complaints : it will cure the 

 falling-sickness, given in proper doses, and con- 

 tinued for a long time : the tincture i3 best for this 

 purpose. Some have given the powder in very 

 small quantities against worms, and that with suc- 

 cess ; its extreme bitter makes it very disagree- 

 able, and the taste continues in the throat a long 

 time, whence it occasions vomiting. We neglect 

 it very much at present, because of its roughness ; 

 but it would be better we found the way of giving 

 it with safety. There are gentler medicines, but 

 none of them so efficacious : it will do service in 

 cases that the common methods do not reach. 



St. John's Wort, ffj/pcricum. 



A robust and pretty plant, frequent in our 

 pastures, and other dry places. The height is a 

 foot and a half. The stalk is round, thick, firm, 

 and very upright, and divided towards the top 

 into several branches The leaves are short and 



