l6o LARKSPUR LAUREL. 



medicinal use. It occurs in flattish pieces, externally 

 red-brown, with a rosy tint internally, the inner surface 

 smooth, and pinkish brown or yellowish. Fracture 

 short, slightly fibrous. Odour, terebinthinous. Taste, 

 astringent, turpentiny, somewhat bitter. 



LARKSPUR. Delphinium Consolida, Linn. 



N.O. Ranunculacea '. 

 Syn. Lark's Claw, Lark's Heel, Knight's Spur. 



Part used Seeds. 



Action A tincture of the seeds acts as a parasiticide 

 and insecticide, and is used to destroy lice and nits in the 

 hair. Used also in spasmodic asthma and dropsy, the 

 tincture (i ounce to i pint dilute alcohol) is given in 

 lo-drop doses, gradually increased. 



Distinctive character Seeds black, tetrahedral, 

 flattened, ^VrV ^ nc ^ * n diameter, with acute edges and 

 pitted surface. Albumen oily. Taste, bitter and acrid. 

 Inodorous. 



LAUREL. Lauras nobills, Linn. 



N.O. Lawacea. 

 Syn. Bay, Sweet Bay, Noble Laurel, Roman Laurel. 



Parts used Leaves, fruit, oil. 



Action Stomachic. The ancients valued Laurel 

 greatly, but nowadays hardly any other preparation is 

 used in medicine but the oil, as an application in 

 rheumatism, &c. 



Distinctive character The leaves are leathery, 

 dark green, rather paler beneath, about 3 inches long 

 and i inch broad, elliptic-lanceolate, slightly broader 

 above the middle, entire, but wavy at the margins, the 

 small whitish veins forming a network of nearly square 

 minute meshes. Taste, aromatic. Odour, aromatic 

 when bruised. 



