FAMILY HERBAL. 293 



out, and is good against headaches, and all other 

 nervous disorders which attend certain fevers. The 

 conserve is good against weaknesses of the stomach, 

 and pains in the bowels. It is pleasant, and may be 

 taken frequently by people subject to hysteric dis- 

 orders with great advantage. 



Rupture-wort. Jlcrniaria. 



A little low plant, wild in some parts of the 

 kingdom, but not common, and kept in the gardens 

 of the curious. It grows three or tour inches long, 

 but the stalks lie on the ground : many grow from 

 the same root, and they spread into a kind of cir- 

 cular figure. They are slender, round, jointed, ami 

 of a pale green. The leaves are very small, and 

 nearly of an oval figure ; they stand two at each 

 joint, and are also of a pale green. The leaves 

 are very small ; the root is very long, but not thick. 



The juice of the fresh gathered herb, externally 

 applied, has been much celebrated against ruptures ; 

 perhaps without any great foundation. An in- 

 fusion of it, taken inwardly, works by urine, 

 and is very good against the gravel, and in the 

 jaundice. 



S 



Saffron. Crocus. 



A very pretty plant, of the same kind with 

 what are called crocuses in our gardens. It is 

 planted in fields, in some parts of England, and 

 yields a very profitable kind of produce. The 

 flowers of this plant appear in autumn, but the leaves 

 not till sometime after they are fallen. These flow- 

 ers have, properly speaking, no stalk ; they rise im 



