SALVIA OFFICINALIS. 
Ill 
ovate form, entire, rough, and finely crenated, often of a reddish or 
purplish tinge, are produced in pairs, and stand upon long foot- 
stalks : the flowers are of a bluish purple, and terminate the branches 
in long spikes; the corolla is monopetalous, tubular, and divided at 
the extremity into two lips, the upper one entire and concave ; the 
lower lip divides into three obtuse lobes, the middle one of which is 
the largest; the calyx is tubular, of a reddish colour, striated, and 
divided into acute segments; the two filaments are short, and are 
afiixed transversely by the middle on the top of the rudiments of two 
others ; the antherae are large and yellow ; the style is filiform, of a 
blue colour, and supports a bifid stigma ; the seeds are four in num- 
ber, naked, and placed at the bottom of the calyx. It flowers in 
June and July. 
This species of sage is called by the Greeks EAeA/cr(?)«;^o?, from 
the brown or parched colour of the leaves. There is found occa- 
sionally on the Salvia Officinalis, a peculiar excrescence or gall 
apple, and we are told by Virey,* that this is eaten at Constantinople 
by the Turks. 
Sensible Properties, &c. The odour of sage is strong, and 
of a peculiar fragrancy ; its taste is warm, aromatic, and somewhat 
bitter, with a slight degree of astringency. Both water and spirit 
extract these qualities, but the latter more perfectly than the former. 
Medical Properties and Uses. Sage, as possessing aro- 
matic and bitter qualities, is in its eff'ects gently stimulating, tonic, 
and carminative ; hence it is serviceable in some cases of debility of 
the stomach and nervous system. Formerly it was celebrated as a 
medicine of great efficacy in obstructions of the menstrual flux, fluor 
albus, rheumatism, paralysis, &c. ;t- but in the present day no confi- 
dence whatever is placed in it as a medicine of much efficacy, and 
it is chiefly prescribed as a gentle sudorific,! and as a diluting drink 
in febrile disorders ; for these purposes, an infusion of the fresh or 
dried herb, may be taken ad libitum ; it forms a very grateful drink 
and the additic.n of a little lemon acid renders it still more agreeable. 
The infusion is also used as a gargle in cases of sore throat, either 
alone, or with the addition of honey and vinegar. 
Off". The Leaves. 
♦ Vide Histoire Naturelle des Medicamens. 
t Vide Murray's Ap. Med. vol. ii. 
t We are inclined to think, that the sudorific efFects it is supposed to possess, are 
chiefly to be attributed to the aqueous fluid.— 
