WATER-PLANTAIN. 413 



such an intent. Dr. Hancock, we believe, mentions that the 

 natives of South America are accustomed to enwrap the whole 

 body with certain kinds of leaves for the cure of diseases of a 

 rheumatic and dropsical character. 



Boccone recommends the root of the Water-Plantain in 

 haemorrhoids, as observed by Haller *, who, however, very 

 reasonably questions the propriety of its employment in that af- 

 fection. It has also been advised by some of our old Eng- 

 lish writers on medical plants as a good application to the breasts 

 of nurses for the purpose of repelling the milk. We mention this 

 chiefly by way of caution, as there can be no doubtthatits applica- 

 tion in either of these cases would be not only unsuitable but dan- 

 gerous. The error most likely arose from the Water-Plantain 

 being arranged among the true Plantains, and hence the re- 

 puted cooling properties of the latter were ascribed to the plant 

 before us. The herb, like the Crowfoot, seems not well adapted 

 for internal use, and is said to produce atrophy and immobi- 

 lity of the posterior parts of the body in cattle that have fed 

 upon it. 



• Hist. st. Helv. n. 1184. 



