HISTOIIY. 31' 



and even when two authorities agree as to the results produced 

 by it, their views as to its modus operandi are of the most dis- 

 similar nature. Such being the state of our knowledge of this 

 valuable medicine, I have been induced to make the following 

 investigations with the view^ of deciding some at least of the 

 disputed points ; and if I have not done so much as I would 

 wish, I trust that my labour may not be entirely in vain, but 

 prove, at least, a stepping-stone towards the desired end. 



History. 



So striking is the appearance of this elegant plant, w4th its 

 tall stem rising from the midst of a thick bunch of downy 

 leaves, and gracefully bending at the top under the w^eiglit of 

 its beautiful purple bells, that it is imposible to believe the 

 ancient herbalist would have passed it over in silence. As no 

 notice of it is found in their works, we are led to believe that 

 they were unacquainted with it. Its popular name of Foxglove* 

 occurs in Saxon writings of the 11th century; but it seems to 

 have been unknown to the learned till near the middle of the 

 16th, as it had no Latin name till 1535, when Fuchsias, pro- 

 fessor of medicine at Tubingen, gave it that of Digitalis, which 

 it still retains. It seems formerly to have enjoyed a great 

 reputation as an external applicationf for the cure of wounds 

 and scrofulous ulcers,| and for causing the (jbsorption of scro- 

 fulous glandular enlargements.§ 



The internal administration of its juice has been noticed 

 as a remedy for scrofula by Yan Helmont,|| Haller,^ Fourcroy,** 

 and Merz.ft 



According to Lobel, digitalis w^as employed on account of its 



* Pereira's Hat. Med. 



t Ferrein, Matiere Med., tome iii, 1770, p. 67. Vide Ilomolle and Quevenne, 

 p. 139. 



X Geof rey, Trait, de Mat. Med., 1743, tome \i, p. 202 (II. and Q., p. 140). 



§ Ferrein, op. cit. 



II Apparatus Medicarinm, 1776 — 1794 (H. and Q.., p. 13S). 



t Sist. Stirpium Ind'ig. HelvdicB, 1768 (H. and Q.). 



** Encyclopedie Methodique, tome v, p. 456 (H. and Q.). 



ft Dissert. Inaugural, Jena, 1790 (H. and Q.). 



