CT7LPRPKR*8 COVPLm HERBAL. 171 



Ocvemmeni and Virtues. — Groundsel is under the domi- 

 nion of Venus ; and, though common has many virtues. 

 It is cooling and digesting in inflammations ; it is an easy 

 emetic when made like tea. Taken in ale, it acts against 

 the pains of the stomach, strangury, and jaundice ; it de- 

 stroys worms, and is useful in scrofulous tumours and in- 

 flammations of the breasts and scald head. Its juice is a 

 good purgative, but the dose should not exceed two ounces. 

 The leaves bruised and applied outwardly to the stomach, 

 produces the like etfect, and there is no better application 

 for the gripes and colic of infants. For the sore breasts 

 of women, pick a handful of the fresh juicy leaves, bruise 

 them, and make a poultice with a little bread boiled in 

 milk, then lay the poultice on, and repeat as often as need- 

 ful, and an effectual cure will be the result The juice also 

 provokes urine, and expels the gravel in the reins and kid- 

 neys, when taken in wine. A dram of the juice is suffi- 

 cient to be taken inwardly, and caution should be used so 

 that it may not work mischief. A poultice of it, with a 

 little salt, dissolves knots and kernels in any part of the 

 body. The leaves and flowers, with frankincense in pow- 

 der, ii a good vulnery ; the distilled water performs every 

 thing that can be expected from its virtues, especially for 

 inflammations or watering of the eyes, when proceeding 

 from defluctions of rheum into them. An infusion of it 

 taken inwardly cores staggers and bot-worms in horses. 



GROUVDSEL (COTTON OR STlNKll^O.)-'(Senecio 

 Viscoitu.) 



Deserip, — This is another sort, like the former, except 

 that it grows not so tall, the leaves are not so finely jag- 

 ged, nor of so dark a green colour, but rather whitish, soft, 

 woolly, thick and clammy to the touch, and the flowers 

 are usually paler. The whole plant stinks so rankly, that 

 it is called Stinking Groundsel. 



Place. — It is an annual, found upon our dry ditch banksi 



Time, — It blooms in July, until the end of summer. 



OovemmerU and Virtues. — This has been praised in 

 flaxes of the belly, and the dysentery; it has the power of 

 ipecacuanha, but in a less degree, and not so agreeable a 

 manner, it is very good in hysteric complaints. The leaves 

 are carminative, and may be used in poultices, fomeuta 

 tiona, and baths, but more esf)ecially tne flowers. Inward- 

 ly, an infuaion will expel wind, strengthen the stomach. 



