250 REST-HARROW. 



branches are incompletely developed in the form of spines. In 

 fact, the two varieties are sometimes found within a short dis- 

 tance of each other, on the same heath or common, evidently 

 modified by the soil. The O. spinosa may be brought back to 

 its normal state by cultivation. That the plant should produce 

 thorns in a barren soil appears a wise provision of nature, as it 

 would otherwise be cropped short by cattle, and thus prevented 

 from propagating the species. 



Qualities and General Uses. Rest-harrow, though com- 

 monly regarded as a troublesome weed, is, on the authority of 

 most authors, much relished by asses, and is eaten by oxen, 

 goats, and sometimes by sheep, though refused by horses and 

 swine. The peasantry in some countries eat the young shoots 

 as a salad, or boil them with other pot-herbs. It has been used 

 many ages ago as a culinary vegetable, for we find Dioscorides 

 speaking of the shoots as an agreeable pickle. 



The foliage is somewhat viscid to the touch, and has a strong, 

 peculiar, rather disagreeable smell. The root has a similar 

 odour, r and a sweetish leguminous sub-viscid taste, resembling 

 the flavour of a ripe pea or that of liquorice. The infusion of 

 the fresh root exhibits similar qualities ; when boiled, it con- 

 tracts an ungrateful flavour and considerable bitterness, but 

 exhibits no trace of astringent matter. Spirit also extracts its 

 active matter, which resides principally in the cortical part. 



Medicinal Properties and Uses. Rest-harrow, though now 

 disregarded, was much employed and highly commended by 

 the practitioners of the olden time. Dioscorides * and Galen -f- 

 highly extol its diuretic and lithontriptic qualities. Lentilius J 

 affirms that a decoction of the root in wine administered in a 

 case of dysuria not only fulfilled the curative indication, but 

 induced an incontinence of urine. Simon Pauli§ speaks of it 

 as an incomparable remedy in calculus of the kidneys or blad- 

 der ; " to which eulogy," says Murray, " though I cannot as- 

 sent, I do not doubt that the Rest-harrow may, by expelling 

 the sand, mitigate the pain arising from calculus." Moreover, 

 several of the old writers mention its excellent effects in sarco- 



* Mat. Med. lib. iii. c. 21. 



f De Simpl. lib. viii. 



X Miscell. Medico-pract. p. 277' 



§ Quadrip. p. 224. 



