he has alfo been well informed both from Berlin and Vienna, that the Hemlock Roots in thofe countries, are no more 

 virulent than ours about -London. Mr. Timothy Lane informs me, that he alio with great caution made 

 fome experiments of the like kind, and in a fliort time found he could venture to eat a confiderable part' of 

 a root without any inconvenience ; after that, he had fome large roots boiled, and found them as agreeable 

 eating at dinner with meat, as Carrots, which they in tafte fomewhat refembled : and as far as his experience 

 joined with that /of others informed him, the Roots might be cultivated in • Gardens, and either eaten raw 

 like Celery, or boiled as Parfneps or Carrots. That in Spring and Winter they are not woody as in Summer : 

 that he ,has eaten them from different places and in all feafons ; and that he perceived iome roots were more 

 pungent than others, but not in any degree worthy notice. 



The experiments of thefe ingenious Gentlemen fufficiently evince the innocence of the rooots of this plant, 

 contrary to what has been anerted by Dr. Storck, and hence we may infer that whatever accounts have been 

 related by_ Authors of their poifonous qualities, the Roots of fome other Plant muft have been made tife of. 

 In the poifonous quality of the Herb however all Authors feem agreed, but with refpect to its efficacy as a 

 medicine they very much differ. If we may believe Dr. Storck, there is fcarce a difeafe incident to the 

 human body which it either does not cure, or relieve; but it is remarkable that a copious experience of 

 fifteen years, as well in the great Hofpitals of this Metropolis as in the private practice of the whole King- 

 dom, mould not have afforded one inftance of a perfect cure by the Extract, at leaft none fuch has appeared 

 among the valuable collections of cafes publifhed by our College of Phyficians and other Medical Societies. Both. 

 Dr. Fothergill of London, and the late Dr. Rutty of Ireland, men of the greateft eminence in their profeffion, 

 have declared that the fuccefs attending it has not been equal to what they had reafon to expect, from Dr. Storck' s 

 account of it ; (yid. medical obfervations and enquiries, vol. 3.) yet tho' it had failed them in the cure of many of 

 thofe difeafes which unfortunately were the opprobia medicorum, it had proved beneficial in various obftinate com- 

 plaints ; Scrophulous tumours were %q appearance diflolved by it ; the progrefs both of occult and ulcerated 

 Cancers was retarded, the pain alleviated, 'and the difcharge changed for the better in every refpect ; divers pu- 

 trid and fordid Ulcers were by the ufe of Hemlock remarkably mended in their difcharge, and difpofed to heal, 

 in fome of which the Sublimate had been given in vain ; hence the Extract is frill frequently ufed, and will 

 probably continue to be prefcribed, becaufe its effects as an Anodyne will often afford at leaft a temporary re- 

 lief, and becaufe in defperate difeafes a doubtful remedy feems better than none at all. 



The taking of the Extract is generally attended with a giddinefs and often with a pain of the head, naufea, 

 &nd other difagreeable fymptoms ; in fome however its effects, are apparently anodyne, as it eafes pain and pro- 

 motes reft even where Opium has failed. 



Phyficians feem fomewhat divided about the bell: mode of exhibiting this medicine, fome recommending the 

 extract, as being moil eafily taken in the form of pills, others the powder, as not being fubjeet to that varia- 

 tion which the extract is liable to from being made in different ways. With refpect to the period likewife 

 at which the plant fhould be gathered, they feem not perfectly agreed, fome recommending it when in its full 

 vigour, and juft coming into bloom, others when the flowers are going off and the whole plant has acquired 

 a yeilowiih hue. that the Extract might be at all times equally active, and uniformly prepared, Dr. Cullen has. 

 for many years recommended the making it from theunripe feeds, and this mode the College of Phyficians at Edin- 

 burgh has thought proper to adopt in their new Pharmacopoeia. 



Hemlock grows very frequently on banks by the fides of Roads, by hedge fides, and in Fields and Gardens, flower- 

 ing in the month of July. 



We have a common Engliih Proverb that what is one Mans Meat is another mans Poifon, and agreeable to this are 

 the'lines of Lucretius which relate to this plant ; 



ii Pinguefcere fepe Cicutd 

 "Barbigeros pecudes homini qua ejl acre venenum. ,y 



That it affords nourimment to Birds hkewife there is fufficient evidence, our learned Philofopher and accurate Na- 

 turalift Mr. Ray, found in the Crop of a Thrufh abundance of Hemlock feeds, at a time too when other vegetable 

 food might be had in abundance. It appears to, be eaten by very few or no Infects, 



The dried ftems or Ibexes are ufed by Boys for various purpofes. 



The Hemlock is obvioufly diftinguifhed from our other umbelliferous plants by its large and /potted 'Jlalk, by the dark 

 and Jhining green colour of its bottom leaves, and particularly by their difagreeable fmell when bruifed, and which accord- 

 ing to Dr. Storck refembles that of Mice, The Fools Par/ley and Scandix with rough feeds are the moft likely to be 

 miftaken for this poifonous plant, but may eafily be diftinguifhed if attention be paid to the defcriptions and figures w© 

 fasaye already given of them. 



