PREFACE. 



The most experienced medical practitioner 

 will admit, that he must often rely on the 

 assistance of the nurse and the cook for 

 the perfect re-establishment of his patient. 

 Cooling medicine will afford little relief to the 

 fevered invalid who is supplied with astrin- 

 gent diet ; nor will stimulating cordials in- 

 vigorate the body, while it is relaxed by 

 attenuating aliment. 



The Author is aware, that modern prac- 

 tice has long since disregarded the high 

 encomiums bestowed on certain vegetables 

 by the ancients ; but he considers the antique 

 physic-gardens an object of no less interest 

 than antique orchards; and as the modern 

 sons of Ceres and Pomona have improved 

 their art, by reviving and adopting some 

 of the ancient practices, (particularly that 

 of cutting corn before it is perfectly ripe, 

 which was so strenuously recommended by 

 Pliny nearly eighteen hundred years ago,) the 

 disciples of Esculapius may, in like manner, 

 discover some valuable matter among the 



