FENUGREEK. 297 



used by grooms and farriers for horses, both as food and medi- 

 cine, and for fattening rabbits. 



The odour of the seeds is fragrant, resembling that of melilot ; 

 when bruised they are disagreeable, and have an unctuous 

 farinaceous taste, accompanied with a slight bitterness. They 

 contain so large a quantity of mucilage, that an ounce boiled in 

 a pint of water, renders that liquid very thick and slimy. 

 Alcohol extracts their odorous matter and peculiar flavour, the 

 analysis of which is unknown. 



Medicinal Properties and Uses. — The earliest writers speak 

 of the emollient, lubricating, maturating, and discutient pro- 

 perties of the seeds of this plant ; they were likewise employed 

 in the form of decoction in ophthalmia, aphthous ulcers of the 

 mouth, chapped lips, and other external inflammations. " The 

 same preparation has been used in lavements to lubricate the 

 intestinal canal, and to appease irritation consequent to bilious 

 and inflammatory colics, diarrhoea, dysentery, and poisoning by 

 corrosive substances."* They are also esteemed as assisting 

 the formation of pus in inflammatory tumours, and the meal 

 with that intention is made into a poultice with milk. When 

 the object is merely to relieve pain, a strong decoction of the 

 seeds with chamomile flowers, mullein flowers, or St. John's 

 wort, is very serviceable as a fomentation, applied by means of 

 flannel as hot as can well be borne. A similar formula is re- 

 commended by Sydenham in erysipelas. 



The following will be found a carminative injection of great 

 service, to be used occasionally by persons who suffer from 

 flatulence, costiveness, or colics -j- : — 



Take of Fenugreek seeds i 



Linseed ^ of each two drachms ; 



Leaves and flowers of mullein . . . . i 



Chamomile flowers i °^ ^^'^^ ^ ^^"^^^ 5 



Caraway seeds, one scruple. 



Boil the whole (after bruising the seeds) in a pint and a half of water or 

 milk, to a pint, and strain. 



* Flore Med. torn. iii. p. 222. 



t J. A. Waller, Brit. Dom. Herb. p. 1 6L 



