308 LINN-^US. 



count of the medicinal substances derived from the 

 vegetable kingdom. This treatise, which appeared 

 at Stockholm in 1749, bears the title of Materia 

 Medica, Liber I. de Plantis digestis secundum Ge- 

 nera, Loca, Nomina, Qualitates, Vires, &c. The 

 author seems to have regarded it as one of his most 

 successful performances ; for in his private memoirs 

 he remarks of it, that " it is undoubtedly the best 

 work that has appeared in this department of me- 

 dical science." 



In treating of each plant, he first gives its specific 

 character, then a synonyme from Caspar Bauhin, or 

 its discoverer, — thirdly, the country of which it is a 

 native, — fourthly, the Swedish officinal name, the 

 part used, the preparations made of it, and the doses. 

 Its qualities and uses, its effects, the diseases in 

 which it is employed, and the compound medicines 

 of which it forms an ingredient, are then mentioned. 

 At the end of the volume is an index of diseases, 

 with the plants proper for each. Haller's opinion of 

 this work confirms that of Linnseus himself; for, in 

 his Bibliotheca Botanica, he says of it, — '' He has 

 referred to their proper genera very many plants 

 which were highly celebrated for their use in me- 

 dicine, although their true genus was unknown. 

 He also praises various plants, unknown in the 

 shops, for their healing powers. But it is necessary 

 to read the whole work, which is among the best 

 that its author has produced." Two other parts 

 were published afterwards, one on the animal, the 

 other on the mineral kingdom. 



The subject of dietetics also engaged his attention 

 in an eminent degree. In this department, however, 

 he did not write any specific volume, but confined 



