BLESSED THISTLE. 323 



nial, and may be readily propagated by parting the 

 roots in. spring or autumn, and planting them in 

 beds of common garden mould. 



The herb, in its recent state, has a weak, roughish, 

 aromatic taste, and a pleasant smell, somewhat of 

 the lemon kind. Balm was formerly esteemed of 

 great use in all complaints supposed to proceed 

 from a disordered state of the nervous system. As 

 tea, however, it makes a grateful diluent drink in 

 fevers, and in this way it is commonly used, either 

 by itself or acidulated with lemons. 



4. BLESSED THISTLE. CARDUUS. 



A native of the south of France, Spain, and the 

 Levant. It is annual, and propagated from seed 

 sown in autumn. 



This plant obtained the name of benedictus, or 

 blessed, from its supposed extraordinary medicinal 

 virtues. It has an intensely bitter taste, and dis- 

 agreeable smell. It was formerly employed to 

 assist the operation of emetics ; but the flowers of 

 chamomile are now substituted for it with equal 

 advantage. It was also thought, when taken in- 

 ternally, to be peculiarly efficacious in malignant 

 fevers. In loss of appetite, where the stomach has 

 been injured by irregularities? its good effects have 

 been frequently experienced. It has now lost much 

 of its reputation, and does not seem to be essen- 

 tially different from other simple bitters. 



Y 2 



