MONOECIA TETRANDRIA. 579 



liquor : when touch'd, they excite a blifter, at- 

 tended with a violent itching pain, though the 

 fting does not appear to be tubular, or perforated 

 at the top, nor any vifible liquor to be infufed 

 into the pundure made by it in the flefh. Ic 

 feems certain, however, that fome of this liquor 

 is infinuated into the wound, tho' invifibly, fincc 

 the flings of the dry'd plant excite no pain. 

 Nettle-tops in the Spring are often boil'd and eaten 

 by the common people inftead of cabbage-greens. 

 In Arran^ and other iflands, a rennet is made of a 

 ftrong decocftion of nettles : a quart of fait is 

 put to three pints of the decodion, and bottled 

 up for ufe. A common Ipoonful of this liquor 

 will coagulate a large bowl of milk very readily 

 and agreeably, as we faw and experienced. 

 The flalks of nettles are fo like in quality to hemp, 

 that in fome parts of Europe and Siberia they 

 have been manufadured into cloth, and paper 

 has been made ot them. 

 The whole plant, particularly the root, is elleem'd 

 to be diuretic, and has been recommended in 

 the jaundice and nephritic complaints. It is alfo 

 reckoned aftringent, and of fervice in all kinds 

 of hosm.orrhages, but is at prcfenc but little in 

 praftice. 

 The roots boil'd with allum will dye yarn of a 

 yellow colour, 



P p 2 The 



