OF HERBS IN MEDICINE 167 



throats, better than some of the gargles that " the 

 gentlemen" prescribe (so a Herbalist told me), and 

 red sage is better than green. Rosemary has long 

 been celebrated for making the hair grow. Water- 

 cress is very good for the blood, and the expressed 

 juice has been known to prove a wonderful cure for 

 rheumatism. A lady told me of a case she knew in 

 Berkshire, where a man was absolutely crippled till he 

 tried this remedy, and afterwards quite recovered his 

 power to move and a very good degree of strength. 

 Water-cress was one of the plants from which Count 

 Mattel extracted his vegetable electricity. Parsley, 

 freshly gathered and laid on the forehead is good for a 

 headache, and if put in a fold of muslin and laid across 

 inflamed eyes, it is said to be beneficial. Endive tea is 

 cooling and is given to " fever " patients, and the dry 

 leaves of lovage infused in white wine were good for 

 ague. An infusion of Raspberry leaves. Agrimony, and 

 Barberry-bark was good for consumptive patients, and 

 Cowslip and Cucumber were made into a wash to make 

 the complexion " splendent," to use an old expression. 

 Coltsfoot is still given for coughs ; Sweet Marjoram was 

 administered for dropsy, Alderberries for boils ; Arb- 

 Rabbit (Herb-Robert) made into poultices for " inflam- 

 mation ; " Brook-lime, given for St Anthony's Fire, and 

 Brown Nut, made into a decoction, was taken hot just 

 before going to bed, for a cold. Groundsel, Docks, 

 Hay-Maids (Ground-Ivy), Feather-Few, Chicken- Weed, 

 Hedge-Garlic or Hedge-Mustard, I have also heard 

 recommended at difi^erent times. The Blessed Thistle is 

 a useless ingredient in a good herb-ointment for burns. 

 Amongst the last named plants are several not strictly to 

 be called "herbs," but they and others I shall mention 

 are " simples," and as such they fitly find a place among 

 medicinal herbs. Foxglove and Belladonna, of course, 

 are among the most important drugs in the Pharma- 



