CLEAVERS. * 181 



Cleavers is made one of the " spring juices," and taken by the 

 country people for scorbutic * complaints, for which it was also 

 recommended by Dr. Edwards f . Lastly, from the root of the 

 plant (as above observed) giving a colouring to the bones of 

 animals, Glisson ;{;, Roberts, and others imagine that its em- 

 ployment proves serviceable in rachitis or rickets. 



It is not so much for its internal use that the Goose-grass is 

 now held in estimation as for its external application. The 

 herb well bruised and mixed with lard, so as to form a cata- 

 plasm, may be found available in all swellings and indurations, 

 more particularly in glandular § and scrofulous |1 cases; but for 

 no disease is it so celebrated as for cancer. " Its application 

 to cancerous ulcers has in some instances been attended with 

 a complete cure. As cancer, however, depends upon a pecu- 

 liar state of the constitution, it can scarcely be expected to be 

 removed by merely topical applications ; stilly whatever can be 

 found to cleanse the unhealthy surface of these sores, and to 

 remove the offensive effluvium, which is by no means the small- 

 est calamity resulting from this formidable disease, is a valuable 

 acquisition to the suffering patient. Not only the cancerous 

 odour, but the pain also is generally taken away by this appli- 

 cation, and the life of the patient prolonged and rendered more 

 comfortable. I ^ have seen a most extensive and foul cancer, 

 the stench and pain of which were hastening the unhappy victim 

 to the tomb, so that the utmost period of existence that could 

 be rationally expected, was not more than two or three weeks, 

 which in two days was so changed by this application, that the 

 horrible smell which had infected the whole house for months 

 past was not to be perceived, and the pain, which had driven 

 sleep from her couch for almost as long a period, was entirely 

 removed. The surface of the ulcer, in a few days, was clean 

 and healthy, and shortly after made some progress towards 

 healing. The life of the patient was prolonged to nearly twelve 



* Hill's Hist. Mat. Med. p. 387. 



•f- Treatise on the Goose-grass, or Clives, and its efficacy in the cure of 

 the most inveterate Scurvy- 8vo. 

 X Flora Medicale, torn. iv. p. 68. 

 § Gaspari, Osservazioni Storiche, p. 20. 

 li Dioscorides. 3Iat. Med. hb. 3. cap. 104. 

 % J. A. Waller, R.N. Brit. Dom. Herb. p. 90. 



