FAMILY HERBAL. 325 



The root is used dried, or infused in vinegar or 

 wine, and that afterwards made into a syrup with 

 honey. These three preparations are called the 

 wine of squills, vinegar of squills, and oxymel 

 of squills; they are all good against asthmas, 

 and difficulty of breathing. The oxymel is most 

 given for this purpose ; the vinegar causes vomit- 

 ing, and cleanses the stomach ; the wine of squills 

 works by urine, and is good against the jaundice and 

 dropsy. 



Starwort. Aster aliens 



A common wild plant, in many parts of Europe 

 and in the Grecian islands, but not here : we 

 have it in gardens. It is a foot and half high. 

 The stalk is round, hairy, and branched ; the 

 leaves are oblong, moderately broad, and rounded 

 at the ends, and of a dusky green. The flowers 

 arc yellow and large ; they resemble the marigold ; 

 it is singular that there stand some leaves under 

 this flower disposed into rays like a star ; the root is 

 long. 



The fresh- leaves are used ; and that only exter- 

 nally. Bruised, and laid on as a pultice, they are a 

 cure for buboes, and other hard swellings. The plant 

 is called also ingunialis, from its peculiar effect in dis- 

 sipating buboes of the groin. 



Star Thistle. Calcitrapa. 



A wild plant on our heaths, but not very 

 common. It is two feet high, and extremely 

 branched ; the stalks are round, hard, and whitish. 

 The principal leaves rise from the root, and are 

 disposed in a circular manner on the ground. 

 They are oblong, and divided along the sides 



