FAMILY HERBAL, 363 



these are round, small, and of an extremely bit- 

 ter taste, much more bitter than the common 

 worm. seed. 



This seed i^ ihc part used. The good women 

 bruise if. and mixing it with treacle, give it to 

 the children of robust, constitutions against worms. 

 It operates powerfully, by stool, and, if given in 

 too large a quantity by vomit. It is therefore 

 to be used with discretion ; but it will answer the 

 purpose, and is preferable, for many reasons, to 

 those mercurial medicines, which it is the fashion 

 of the times to give to people for those disorders ; 

 especially in the country, where there seldom is 

 skill enough in the practitioner to manage, as he 

 ought, medicines, which may be the occasion of 

 so much mischief. 



Common Wormwood, Ahsyntliium vulgar e. 



A WILD plant frequent by way sides, and on 

 ditch-banks. It is a yard high. The stalks are 

 round, striated, white, tirm, and branched. The 

 leaves are large, but they are divided into a great 

 number of small parts. They are of a pale whit- 

 ish green, and stand irregularly on the stalks ; 

 many larger, but of the same kind, rise from the 

 root. The Mowers stand in a kind of loose spikes 

 at the tops of the stalks ; they are small and 

 bjown. The whole plant is of a very bitter 

 taste. 



The tops of the plant are to be uzed fresh gather- 

 ed ; a very slight infusion of them is excellent for 

 all disorders of the stomach, and will prevent 

 sickness after meals, and create an appetite ; but 

 if it be made strong, it will not only be disagree- 

 able to the taste, but will disgust the stomach 



The tops with the flowers on them dried and 



