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TANSY.— TANACETUM. 



Natural order, Compositce. A genus of the 

 Syngenesia Tolygamia Superflua class. 



The English name of this plant is either 

 an abbreviation of the Latin, or is derived 

 from the French name Tanaise. 



Miller enumerates seven, and Linnaeus eight 

 species of this herb. The common yellow- 

 blossomed tansy, of which there are three 

 varieties, is a native of Britain. 



This herb may frequently be observed 

 growing in country church-yards, which in- 

 duces us to think that it was formerly used 

 as a funeral plant. Tansy has this peculiar 

 quality, that if any dead animal substance be 

 rubbed with it, the flesh-fly will not attack 

 it. Boerhaave says, the leaves applied to a 

 dead body, and intruded into the mouth and 

 nostrils, preserve it from putrefaction and in- 

 sects ; whence the plant has been called 

 Athanasia, that is, immortal plant. 



This herb has a bitter taste, and an aro- 



