20 The ~ BRT “Pet S "Hee ERB eA EE: 
taken not to let it come near the eyes, for it will The beggars frequently make fores on their 
" caufe violent inflammations. | legs with this plant, to promote commiferation 5 
Inthe gout the bruifed leaves and roots have been | and it is ealy to know that what could do this 
ufed with great fuccefs. We have alfo accounts | might be applied ufefully on fome etal ae 
of cures by them in the plague, by raifing blifters An infufion of the leaves of the ivy-leaved 
with them, and keeping them open in the manner | water-crowfoot in wine, with alder-tops and fage, 
of iffues near buboes in the groin, or elfewhere. | is recommended ftrongly by fome in the dropfy, 
The diftilled water of the roots, and a tincture | and other diforders arifing from obftruétions of 
made from them in wine, are recommended alfo | the vifcera, and in the feurvy. } 
in the plague internally. 
Gee Pin Nie Ue" S XUII. 
PILEWORT. 
CHELIDONIUM MINUS. 
HE flower is ‘compofed ‘of feveral petals, “and has a three-leaved cup, which falls with it. 
The feeds ftand in a fmall naked clufter ; and the leaves are roundith, and heart-fafhioned. 
Linnzus places this among the polyandria polyrynia, and makes it a fpecies of crowfoot. He calls 
it crowfoot, with beart-fafbioned, angulated, and petiolated leaves; but the cup confifting of three leaves, 
diftinguifhes it from the crowfoot, whofe ‘cup has five; not to mention the greater number of pe- 
tals in the flower. Tt is a-plant alfo of confiderable virtues, which are recorded of it under the 
names of piléwort and chelidonium minus: wherefore there is ufe in preferving the diftinétion. 
~ “What ‘is called greater celandine, is a plant of an altogether different ‘clafs, as will’be feen here- 
after. 
*‘Linneus, who makes this a {pecies ‘of ranunculus, Gives for the firft charater of that genus, a 
cup compofed of ‘five leaves : ‘therefore, according to his original eftablifhment of the genus, this 
plant does not belong to it. He gives, by way of an exception at the end, this among others; 
and there eftablifhes ‘the effential ‘character of the genus to be the neCtarium of the flower ; the 
reft of the parts being all inconftant. 
Let us examine this conduct in the eye of reafon, and take this as an example of the foundation 
there is for that fafhionable fyftem. 
Linnzus gives a defcription of ‘the feveral’parts of the cup, flower, and fruit, of the ranunculus ; 
which defcription he calls the generical charaéter :_ then among the ‘fpecies of ranunculus ‘he places 
pilewort, which does ‘not agree ‘with that character. Indeed ‘it contradi&s the two moft abfolute 
and »obvious varticles.. Ele fays the ranunculus has a cup compofed of ‘five leaves, and a flower 
compofed of five petals; but pilewort hasa cup of three leaves, anda flower of more numerous petals 
Tt is:thus diftinguifhed by nature, and it has always been diftinguifhed by name; and ‘has difting 
virtues. Why therefore fhould it be thus confounded with ‘crowfoot? ‘Linneeus ‘perceives after- 
wards, ‘that.pilewort does not agree with his charaéters of that.genus: then he:makes an obferyation, 
which is, that all the parts are inconftant, except that there is a -ne@tarium about ithe unguis of each’ 
petal. This, he fays, isthe effential mark. if fo, his whole. generical characteris -fet afide, He him. 
felfacknowledges it to be ufelefs; why then:is it continued? We_-have fhewn.it.to be falfe : 
fore it ought-to be rejected. 
__ Befide thefe obvious things in which the pilewort differs from his eftablifhed charaéter of ranuncu- 
dus, ‘there are others, as the pointed’ ends of ‘its petals, and -the -like lefer articles, Thefe \I do not 
name, the'former being fo evident. ‘I have-been the more particular on this head, «as 
“all ‘refpects for'an inftance of the wrong management brought into the {eience by'this: 
There is'but'one known’ fpecies of :pilewort, ‘and that is-a native of ‘Britain. 
there_ 
itrmay ftand in 
new: method. 
‘Comm*n Pilewort. they have numerous Jeaves on the lower part, and 
Chitin ree rl fend up 'long fender naked ‘footftalks’ for the 
owers. 
Theroot is compofed of a gteat many little seek ari: 
tuberous pieces, of the’bignefs of ‘a barley-corn, yee Ds fe Bae bang pest ‘fed 
with fibres among them: ‘they are brownith, |/o¢ 4 ‘great number’ of natrow. thar i et 
Whitifh, or redifh ‘on the outfide, “and white |:tals in a three-leaved cup, and has. ‘avn of 
within, “| threads in the centre. : a 
The leaves ftand’on Jong 'footftalks ; and are The feeds’ ftand naked in-a fmall cluft 
“of a‘roundith form, ‘fome ‘more fome ‘lefs cor- ‘Tt is ‘common under heds Hed Q 
nered or angulated, but all'indénted in'the'man- | March. Pee Te 
ner of a heart, ‘for the reception of the footftalk: — 
Thofe which ‘rife ‘frft are rounder, the ‘others 
more cornered. They ‘ate “Of ‘a fine ‘green, ‘and - 
aoe oe fpot of whitith or'blackifhin dine. Sometimes it grows much larger in leaves 
the middle, and ‘flowers, imes' the’ 
The {talks ate’ fhott, and lie-upon' the ground ; rally: double, ce peo it ie Rag eels: 
: feribed 
CG: Bauhine calls it Chelidonia rotundifolia mi- 
nor ; others in-general, Chelidonium minys. 
We call it Feqwort, Pilewort, and Small celan- 
