PAEEAMATTA DISTRICT. 99 



different species possess a very powerful acid, which appears 

 remarkably in the way it mixes with other jams. The acid could 

 be employed in flavouring sugar drops, or as affording a substitute 

 for lemon syrup. In addition to the native plants which might 

 be rendered available for medicine, there are now many introduced 

 plants which have become acclimatised and do not seem to vary 

 from the foreign species. Some few of these deserve notice 

 especially Datura stramonium or the Thorn Apple, Eicinus corn- 

 munis or Castor Oil, Anagallis arvensis or Pimpernel, Phytolacca 

 octandra or American Nightshade, Fceniculum vulgare or Fennel, 

 Euphorbia lielioscopia or Wart-wort, and sundry species oiEumex 

 and Plantago. Most of these are regarded as affording remedies 

 in certain disorders. Thus, for instance, Datura stramonium, 

 though poisonous, is employed in asthma, and the seeds when 

 expressed and made into ointment with hogs' lard, are good for 

 irritable ulcers, burns, and scalds. Eicinus not only yields castor 

 oil, but the leaves of the plant have been successfully used by Dr. 

 Pringle as a galactopoietic. The doctor has recently reported 

 two remarkable cases. The one was that of a woman, who from 

 total absence of milk in one breast, and a very limited supply in 

 the other, had lost two children in succession in early infancy. 

 By the application of the Castor Oil leaves for about a week, 

 the effect was truly astonishing, for the evil was remedied, and 

 the woman was enabled to rear her children afterwards. The 

 second case was that of a delicate lady, who through the same 

 simple application for three days, was rendered capable of sup- 

 plying the nourishment necessary for twins. 



The little weed Pimpernel has a beautiful flower of a rich 

 crimson colour, and is sometimes called the poor man's weather 

 glass, as it is said to close on the approach of bad weather. It is 

 used in mania and hydrophobia, and the juice, when applied to 

 the eye in certain stages of ophthalmia, is reported to cleanse it 

 in a remarkable manner. Mr. Charles Tunks, of Parramatta, tried 

 it on the eyes of a dog and found it very efficacious in removing 

 the ulcerous matter, and improving the vision of the poor animal. 

 Phytolacca is spreading very much and bids fair to follow the 

 railway into the interior. It is used as a purgative medicine, 

 &c., and if any method of fixing the colour could be devised, 

 the purple juice of the berries would yield a most valuable 



