130 butcher's-broom. 



the shade and drip of other trees. It harmonizes well with 

 Daphne Laureola, Ulex Nana, and Vaccinium Vitis Idaea."* 



The root is at first sweetish to the taste, afterwards bitter : 

 it was formerly reckoned one of the five greater aperient roots. 

 The berries contain a sweetish pulp. The seeds have been used 

 as a substitute for coffee, but they are said to render the liquid 

 diuretic)". 



Medical Properties and Uses. — The root of this plant 

 has been long disused as a medicine, but it was once highly re- 

 commended as an aperient and diuretic in dropsies, urinary 

 obstructions, and gravel. Dioscorides X mentions it as possess- 

 ing these properties, and Riverius§ and Bauhin || relate des- 

 perate cases of dropsy which were cured by this remedy alone. 



Etmuller strongly commends this plant as a valuable remedy 

 in scrofulous tumours and ulcers ; he recommends a drachm of 

 the powdered root to be taken every morning. The same 

 writer also experienced great advantage from the use of the 

 berries formed into a conserve, in gonorrhoea and heat of urine, 

 from whatever cause, taken in the quantity of two drachms to 

 half an ounce. 



To form the decoction, an ounce of the dried root was boiled 

 in a pint and half of water down to a pint, of which a wine- 

 glass-full was taken three times a day, or more frequently, 

 according to circumstances. For the infusion, half an ounce 

 of the root, bruised, was added to a pint of boiling water, and 

 drunk as tea. A distilled water has also been made from the 

 leaves and berries. 



* Loudon's Encyclopaedia of Plants, p. 847- 



■f Launicheli de Rusco, ejusque medicamentosa prceparatione. Veiiet. 

 1787. 



^ Lib. iv. c. 146. 



§ Observ. Cent. 3, Obs. 52. 



II Hist. Univ. Plant, torn. i. p. 582. 



