RUTA GRAVEOLENS. 89 
tooth-ache, was for a time deprived of his senses ; * and Hilifield 
relates that a dog by taking five of the seeds, became convulsed and 
died.f Orfila however tells us, that an ounce of stavesacre reduced 
to a very fine powder, was introduced into the stomach of a small 
robust dog, and the cesaphagus tied ; yet, though the animal died 
fifty-four hours after the operation, it experienced neither vertigo 
nor convulsions. This author concludes that stavesacre is not 
absorbed, and that its deleterious properties depend on the local 
irritation it produces, and the sympathetic lesion of the nervous 
system. He likewise considers the part soluble in water as the most 
active. The use of stavesacre is now confined to external applica- 
tions in some kinds of cutaneous eruptions, but more especially for 
destroying lice and other insects ; its efficacy in this way has obtained 
for it the names of Herbe aux Poux, and louse-wort. 
Off. The Seed. 
— — 
RUTA GRAVEOLENS. 
Rue. J 
Class Decandria. — Order Monogynia. 
Nat. Ord. MuLTisiLiQUffi, Linn. Rutace^, Juss, 
Gen. Char. Calyx, a perianthum, 5-parted. Petals concave. 
Receptacle girt with ten honey-bearing pores. Capsule 
5-Iobed. 
Spec. Char. Leaves doubly compound. Lateral flowers 
4-cleft. 
This species of rue§ is a small shrubby plant, a native of the 
South of Europe ; according to Sweertius, || it is also a native of 
* Vide Mat. Med. p. 435. 
f Diss, de Venen. p. 20. 
% Eig. a. represents a cutting of the nalnral'size. h. Calyx, c. A stamen magnified. 
d. A magnified petal, e. The germen magnified. 
§ Eight species of rue are cultivated in our botanic gardens. Hort, Cant. 
11 Sweert. Hort. 24. 
VOL. I. N 
