VOL. XXI.3 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 417 



part of each flower serves also for its seed vessel; in the bottom of which is 

 contained, in all I have yet observed, 4 seeds, set close together upon a plane, 

 which drop out when ripe, the husk being always open, and commonly divided 

 into five points, answering the segments of each flower. Now the chief virtue 

 of these last consists in their leaves and husks, rather than in the flowers. 

 My reasons for giving the preference to the husks of this tribe, before the 

 flowers, are, because I commonly observe the calices are the chief, if not the 

 only part of the plant, on which I find its viscous or sulphureous particles ad- 

 here ; and this may be very easily perceived, not only by its much stronger and 

 penetrating smell, but by the clamminess, far beyond the other parts, as is 

 very apparent, particularly in the husks of sage and clary ; and if with spirit of 

 wine you make a distillation of these alone, you will find them much stronger 

 than from a greater quantity of flowers only ; for these, consisting of finer and 

 more volatile particles, are capable of retaining only what the vicinity of 

 the stronger and thicker texture, which the calices are composed of, and can 

 without prejudice easily communicate to them. 



I consider the generality of this tribe as a degree warmer than the last, and 

 their heat consequently to approach nearer to the aromata or spices, than the 

 carminatives ; and the effects therefore to be more peculiarly adapted to such 

 nervous diseases, as are moi-e intense, and to which the umbelliferae cannot so 

 quickly reach, viz. apoplexies, epilepsies, palsies, &c. in which cases lavender, 

 rosemary, sage, staechas, and some others, are simples which all our ancient 

 physicians have very much commended in these stubborn diseases ; as also mint, 

 balm, pennyroyal, savory, thyme, hyssop, marjoram, basil, origanum, dittany 

 of Crete, marum or common mastic-thyme, with marum-syriacum, and some 

 others. 



3. Those herbs which have a tetrapetalous regular flower, i. e. four equal 

 petala in each flower, in relation to their seed-vessels, are subdivided under 

 two heads, viz. siliquosae and capsulatie, being such as have their seeds con- 

 tained in long or short receptacles, as pods or capsules. The known herbs of 

 this genus that are most commonly used in physic are mustard, rape, rocket, 

 jack of the hedge, paronychia, or whitlow-grass, flix-weed, hedge-mustard, 

 4iose-smart, scurvy-grass, with some others. The most essential virtues and 

 uses of the herbs of this class I observe are more particularly in the leaves and 

 ^ed, next to these in the roots, and last in the flowers and pods. 



The leaves are more particularly used in the water and garden cresses, sea 

 and garden scurvy-grass, hedge-mustard, iberis, or sciatica cresses, lepidium, 

 cardamom, shepherd's purse, &c. To which may be added our cabbage, cole- 

 worts, savoys, sprouts, &c. which are also of this tribe ; and though they are 



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