I70 THE BOOK OF HERBS 



be poured upon the herbs, they will keep and make an 

 excellent poultice for any kind of sore.) 



The oil should be applied immediately to any kind of 

 bruise or burn. It will prevent all inflammation and heal 

 the wound. The time to begin making it is when the 

 herbs are in full vigour, which depends much on the 

 season being early ; in general the middle of May is 

 about the time, as the rose-buds and lavender would not 

 be ready sooner than the middle of June. 



Mrs Milne Home gives the ingredients of the Tisane 

 de Sept Fleurs, which, she says, is often prescribed by 

 French doctors for colds and sleeplessness — 



" Bouillon blanc. Mullein. 



Tilleul. Lime. 



Violette. Violet. 



Coquelicot. Poppy. 



Pied de chat. Tussilago. 



Guimauve. Mallow. 



Mauve. Another sort of mallow." 



I think Mauve means mallow, Guimauve, marsh-mallow. 

 Beyond these simples that I have mentioned as being in 

 popular use, various English plants and herbs are used 

 not much (if at all) by country people, but by medical 

 men, and a few of those included in the British Phar- 

 macopceia may be remarked on here. 



Hops are used in the form of Infusum Lupuli. They 

 have long had the reputation of inducing sleep, and 

 George III. slept on a hop-pillow. To prevent the hops 

 crackling (and producing exactly the opposite effect) it 

 is advised that a little alcohol should be sprinkled on 

 them. To eat poppy-seed was thought a safe means of 

 bringing drowsiness. " But," says Dr Primrose (about 

 1640), "Opium is now brought into use, the rest [of 

 soporifics] being layd aside. Yet the people doe abhorre 

 from the use thereof and avoyd it as present poyson, 



