BALM. 45 



of the ancients, are copious on the supposed 

 virtues of this plant, but of which modern 

 practice takes little notice. It is, however, 

 much esteemed by the common people of 

 this country, who take it in the manner of 

 tea, and it is thought to be good in disorders 

 of the head and stomach, as also in hypo- 

 chondriac and hysteric complaints. 



The infusion of this plant is better when 

 made from the green herb, than when dried, 

 which is contrary to the general rule in re- 

 gard to other plants. 



Without being misled by the high en- 

 comiums which our herbalists have bestowed 

 on balm, we think it is not duly appreciated 

 at present. 



Hoffman contrived a process for obtaining 

 the virtues of this plant, which affords its 

 principles better than any other, and gives 

 two medicines to the physician, unknown 

 before, but of great value. He took a large 

 quantity of the leaves of balm, fresh picked 

 from the stalks, and filling a glass vessel more 

 than half full with them, fixing the stopple 

 carefully in, he put the vessel into a dunghill, 

 where he let it remain three months. At the 

 end of this time he took it out, and found the 

 whole reduced to a kind of poultice. This 



