PARSLEY. 201 



fond of it, and it is said not only to render their flesh more 

 delicious, but to preserve them from the rot ; it is however a 

 deadly poison to parrots and some other birds. It may appear 

 somewhat credulous to attribute to this plant any deleterious 

 property upon the human subject, but on the authority of several 

 authors * it has produced or aggravated epilepsy in various in- 

 dividuals, and has proved injurious to the eyes. Alston, whose 

 judgment and veracity cannot be questioned, says, " I have ob- 

 served, after eating plentifully of raw Parsley, a fulness of the 

 vessels about the head, and tenderness or a slight inflammation 

 of the eyes and face, as if the cravat had been too tight. Hence 

 it may be said (by rarifying the blood) to hurt the eyes, and to 

 be prejudicial to epileptics." f These effects shew the diffi- 

 culty and almost impossibility of dividing esculent from poison- 

 ous plants ; except indeed such effects are not rather attributable 

 to idiosyncrasy. 



Nearly every part of the plant in its recent state exhales a 

 strong peculiar odour, which is to most persons agreeable, to 

 some unpleasant. The roots have a sweet and slightly warm 

 taste. The leaves are warm, slightly acrid, and bitterish, and 

 the seeds are bitter and aromatic. The aromatic and excitant 

 principle of the leaves appears to be of a fugitive nature ; 

 hence the expressed juice will be more powerful than the 

 decoction or the dried plant. 



The root contains fecula, and affords, when very large quan- 

 tities are distilled, a small portion of volatile oil. The leaves 

 also afford a volatile oil, rather pungent and smelling agreeably 

 of the herb, but the seeds are much more abundant in this 

 product. Rectified spirit takes up the virtues of the seeds 

 more completely than water, and the active matter is not im- 

 paired in the extract. 



Medicinal Properties and Uses. — The root of this plant, 

 in addition to its alimentary quality, is considered diuretic, 

 diaphoretic, and aperitive, and has been recommended in jaun- 

 dice, visceral obstructions, suppression of urine, calculus J, &c. 



* Plinii Hist. lib. xx. c. 11. Alexander de morbo comitiale, p. 152. 

 Boyle's Works, vol. i. p. 503. Hannemann, Eph. Nat. Cur. Dec. iii. 

 Ann. iii. p. 78. Marriote, in Journ. de Med. torn, xxiii. p. 545. 



f Alston, Lectures on the Materia Medica, vol. i. p. 381 . 



X Cohen, Diss- de Calculo, p. 31. 

 VOL. II. p 



