ARCTIUM LAPPA-BURDOCK. 



CLASS, SYNGENESIA ; ORDER, POLYGAMIA EaUALIS. 

 NATURAL ORDER, COMPOSITE. 



GEN. CHAR. Calyx globular. The Scales furnished at the ends 

 with inflected hooks. SPEC. CHAR. Leaves corsate, unarmed, 

 petioled. 



For a considerable time this plant has been known in medicine. 

 A syrup, long renowned for its curative properties, was formed by 

 boiling two ounces of the recently bruised root in three pints of 

 water, down to two, and then adding sugar enough to give it a proper 

 consistence. The seeds were powdered, and, in drachm doses twice 

 a day, accompanied the exhibition of the syrup. Rheumatism, gout, 

 and a host of other distempers, fled before the persevering use of this 

 remedy. In the course of events, however, it was discovered that 

 these ailments would get well, if they recovered at all, in about the 

 same length of time, without the medicine as with it a discovery 

 that threw it forever into disrepute. 



The plant is well known by its extremely large, heart-shaped, 

 wavy leaves covering the ground for some distance around it. Na- 

 ture must answer some important ends by its use, for, suspecting 

 that the knowledge we would acquire by a scientific acquaintance- 

 ship with its properties would not make us very anxious to cultivate 



