208 MEDICINAL PLANTS. 



very durable in the mouth, and rather more grateful than that of 

 the seeds in substance." 



Cardamom seeds, on being chewed, impart a glowing aromatic, 

 warmth, and grateful pungency : they are supposed gently to sti- 

 mulate the stomach, and prove cordial, carminative, and antispas- 

 modic, but without that irritation and heat which many of the other 

 spicy aromatics are apt to produce. We are told by Sonnerat, that 

 the Indians use it much, and believe it to strengthen the stomach, 

 and assist digestion. Physicians however consider Cardamoms 

 merely as an aromatic, and prescribe them in conjunction with other 

 medicines, which they are intended to correct or assist. 



[Trans, Lin. Soc. Sonnerat. Woodville. Lewis. 



SECTION XXVI. 



Gum ammoniac Plant. 

 Heraclcum gummiferum. Wilden. 



Though we have assigned the gum ammoniac tree to this genus of 

 Mr. Wildenow, originally known by the name of Cowparsnip; there 

 is still a doubt upon the subject. The plant described for the 6rst 

 time in the Hortus Berolinensis * of this author was raised by him 

 in the Royal Garden at Berlin from Seeds, taken out of the ammo, 

 niacum of the shops, which, it is well known, often contains them. 

 Dr. Wildenow declares himself to be satisfied, that this is the source 

 of this valuable drug, though he ha3 not been able to obtain it 

 from the plant thus produced ; and the seeds employed may there- 

 fore have belonged to another tribe. 



Woodville does not pretend to appropriate it ; and only speaks of 

 it as follows, "This concrete gummy-resinous juice is composed of 

 little lumps, or tears, of a milky whiteness : the external parts of 

 the mass are yellowish or brownish, and the white tears change to 

 the same colour on being exposed for some time to the air. 



We have hitherto had no information concerning the plant which 

 produces this drug, nor of the manner in which it is obtained : 

 judging however from the seeds and pieces of an umbelliferous 

 plant, with which it is often intermixed, there is no doubt of its 

 being the produce of a vegetable of this kind : and as ammoniacum 



* Tom. i, PI. 53, 54. 



