SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



3°9 



Medical Importance of British Plants.— 

 At the meeting ot Section D. of the Leicester 

 Literary and Philosophical Society, held October 

 igth, 1898, Mr. Mott exhibited Ricciocarpus natans 

 var. Serrestris, a rather rare hepatic, in fact not found 

 before in the county ; and Miss Hottinger, having 

 showed many interesting dried plants, Dr. Charles 

 Lakin, L.R.C.P., read a very instructive paper on 

 " The Medicinal Plants of Leicestershire." He 

 said Nature prepares in her own laboratory 

 medicines of the greatest use and importance, and 

 those are growing at our doors which, though 

 so very simple, did we but know their use, would 

 relieve many a sick bed and soothe many a wearied 

 sufferer to sleep. The common monk's-hood 

 (Aconitum napellus) is applied extensively to relieve 

 neuralgic pain. Black and white mustard (Brassica 

 nigra and B. alba), although found in the wild state, 

 are also cultivated for commercial and official 

 purposes, the black mustard yielding by its seeds 

 the condiment of our tables. They can be used 

 as safe emetics, stimulants and counter irritants. 

 The horse-radish (Cochlcaria armoraceae), another 

 cruciferous plant, is valuable in cases of rheuma- 

 tism, scurvy, neuralgia, loss of voice and relaxed 

 throat. Linseed (Linum usitatissimum) is largely 

 cultivated, and the fibre of the bark is spun into 

 yarn. The water in which it is soaked is poisonous, 

 so that Henry VIII. prohibited the washing of flax 

 in any running stream. The seeds are used for 

 poultices ; the oil, together with lime-water, is 

 called carron oil, and is largely used for burns. 

 Hemlock (Conium maculatum), a poisonous plant, 

 good as a fomentation. It powerfully depresses 

 the functional activity of all the motor nerves of 

 the body. Used in cases of epilepsy and asthma. 

 Elder-flower (Sambucus nigcr), so common round 

 old cottages, is much used as a fomentation, 

 especially in cases of erysipelas, and also taken 

 internally for this and chest affections. Valerian 

 (Valeria officinalis) is used largely as a nervine and 

 a stimulant, as well as camomile (Anthemis nobilis), 

 which is used very largely by the general public. • 

 Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) is composed of 

 taraxcine, gluten, ataraxcerine, with enulin, albu- 

 men, potash and an odorous resin. The action is 

 upon the liver and kidneys. The deadly night- 

 shade (Atropa belladonna), so dreaded by many 

 people, the fruit being known in Devon as the 

 devil's cherries, yields atropine and hyoscyamine 

 from all its parts, which acts upon the brain, throat 

 and bladder ; a very similar action is produced by 

 black henbane. The thorn-apple (Datura stramo- 

 nium), although a native of America, is said to 

 have been found in the Loughboro' district,— the 

 leaves are very poisonous. In their composition 

 the chief constituent is daturine (02-03 P er cent) 

 an alkaloid in crystals, resembling atropine. It 

 is closely allied to hyosycamine, some consider 

 that the two are identical, and is valuable in cases 

 of asthma to relieve the spasm of the bronchial 

 tubes. The foxglove (Digitalis purpurea), called by 

 the Irish " the great-herb," by the Scotch " the 

 dead men's bells," and by the Welsh " goblin 



gloves," is useful chiefly for its action upon the 

 heart and kidneys. Several kinds of mints have 

 been used medicinally from the earliest times, such 

 as basil, ground-ivy, horehound, marjoram, penny- 

 royal, peppermint, sage, thyme, etc. The leaves 

 and stem of peppermint (Mentha piperita), exhale a 

 powerful and refreshing aroma. The plant is 

 common in damp places. Its essential oil owes its 

 virtues to the menthol or mint-camphor which it 

 contains. Athyrium filix-mas, the common shield- 

 fern, is a specific remedy in tape-worm. The seeds 

 of the common juniper are also useful in certain 

 cases. Besides the foregoing, which have received 

 the orthodox stamp, there are numerous others 

 that have not. Unfortunately, they are not 

 known so well now, or they might, perhaps, be 

 used for the benefit of many sufferers. — (Miss) Read 

 (Hon. Sec. Section D), West cotes Drive, Leicester. 



Dog-heather. — It is not, perhaps, known in 

 scientific circles that the dog-heather, as it is 

 here called, or ling (Calluna vulgaris), is in best 

 form for food of herb-eating animals during 

 autumn and to past mid-winter. It becomes dry, 

 with little apparent nourishment in it, towards 

 March and April, and only commences to produce 

 young shoots in the early summer. Flowering in 

 August, with a suitable season, it forms a great 

 hunting-ground for bees, excellent honey being 

 derived from it. The proper flowering is a com- 

 paratively delicate process, a cold gale of wind, 

 extreme drought or heavy rainfall will each 

 destroy its honey-giving powers. Sometimes 

 splendid looking bloom yields little honey. It is 

 after the blossom fades that the plants begin to be 

 most nutritious, as a rich growth then commences 

 when the conditions are favourable. Some her- 

 bivorous animals become very fond of it when 

 the faded flowers still cling to the plants. Gene- 

 rally it is preferred with a certain amount of 

 atmospheric moisture upon it, as often happens 

 at that stage of its annual development. It then 

 forms good food, especially during snowstorms, 

 and doubtless performs a valuable part as one of 

 the food-plants of various wild and domesticated 

 animals. — W . Wilson, Alford, Aberdeenshire. 



A Tame Robin. — For the past three winters a 

 robin has spent much of his time within our house, 

 where he is a welcome guest, though untrained and 

 uninvited. From the first day he hopped in, there 

 was never any shyness. His earliest visit might 

 have been his fiftieth, so familiar his bearing when 

 hopping about the floor, picking up crumbs 

 scattered for him. He even rested on the fender 

 to enjoy the heat of the fire. Save on occasions of 

 exceptionally warm or moist weather, the visits 

 are daily. With amusing dignity and appearance 

 of importance, he slowly investigates the room and 

 mounts my breakfast table. There he will peck at 

 the loaf, and actually try to drag the bacon from 

 my plate whilst I am eating. When prevented, 

 he stands patiently by until small pieces are cut 

 up and placed on the edge of the plate. These 

 he eats with relish. If he sees preparations for 

 dinner, this robin enters with alacrity and feeds 

 readily from my hand or drinks from its palm. 

 Much as he has tried, he has never been able to 

 induce another robin to accompany him into the 

 house, though they sing to each other through the 

 open casement. He is at my elbow as I write, 

 and answers to his name as well as any domestic 

 pet. Each evening he goes out to roost, and never 

 sleeps in the house. — (Miss) S. J. Hail, Whiston, 

 Cheadk, Staffordshire. 



