272 CULTIVATED VEGETABLES. 



Dodoens wrote much on the medicinal 

 virtues of hyssop, and says, " the decoction 

 of this plant with figs, rue, and honey, boiled 

 together, is good for the complaints of the 

 chest, shortness of breath, and hard dry 

 coughs. He recommends it to be given 

 to children with figs to destroy worms, as 

 also to be used as a gargle to break tumours 

 in the mouth and throat. He states also, 

 that hyssop boiled in vinegar, and held in 

 the mouth, eases the tooth-ache ; and that 

 the decoction removes congealed blood oc- 

 casioned by bruises, and takes off the black 

 or blue marks. 



Later authors have greatly commended 

 it in cases of bruises from falls, blows, &c, 

 either by way of cataplasm, or only a little 

 bundle of the plant put into a linen rag, and 

 applied to the part. Ray gives an account 

 from Mr. Boyle, of a violent contusion of 

 the thigh, from a kick of a horse, which was 

 happily cured by this herb, boiled and ap- 

 plied as a cataplasm. He tells us, the vio- 

 lent pain was almost instantly removed, and 

 the very mark and blackness taken off in a 

 few hours. 



The leaves and flowers are of a warm 

 pungent taste, and of an agreeable aromatic 



