Chap. 86.] 
THE ONOSMA. 
257 
persons requiring to be treated with such medicaments as 
these, must be labouring under a sort of mental hallucination. 
CHAP. 84. ODONTITIS I ONE EEMEDY. 
Odontitis^^ is a sort of hay-grass, which throws out from a 
single root numerous, small, jointed stems, of a triangular form 
and of a swarthy hue. At the joints there are small leaves, 
somewhat longer than those of the polygonos and in the 
axils formed by these leaves is the seed, similar to barley in 
appearance. It has a purple, diminutive flower, and is found 
growing in meadows.^^ A. handful of the stems, boiled in 
astringent wine, is used for the cure of tooth-ache,^^ the de- 
coction being retained for some time in the mouth. 
CHAP. 85. THE OTHOKNA : ONE EEMEDY. 
The othonna*^ is a Syrian plant, resembling rocket in ap- 
pearance ; its leaves are pierced with numerous holes, and its 
flower resembles that of saffron, for which reason some persons 
have given it the name of anemone.'* The juice of this 
plant is employed in ophthalmic preparations ; it is slightly 
pungent, of a warming nature, and astringent as it dries. It 
acts as a detergent upon cicatrizations, films on the eyes, and 
all impediments of the sight. Some say that the plant is 
washed and dried, and then divided into lozenges. 
CHAP. 86. THE ONOSMA : ONE PEOPERTT. 
The onosma'*^ has leaves some four fingers in length, lying 
upon the ground, and indented like those of the anchusa it 
has neither^^ stem, blossom, nor seed. A pregnant woman, they 
say, if she eats of this plant, or even walks over it, will be sure 
to miscarry. 
35 Probably the Euphrasia odontites of Linnaeus, the Eed eye-bright. 
36 " Inter feni genera." 
^"^ See c. 91 of this Book. There is no resemblance between them. 
3^ On the contrary, it grows in arid, sterile spots. 
2^ Hence its name " odontitis," tooth-wort." 
Its synonym is unknown. Sprengel has identified it with the Tagetcs 
patula of Linnaeus, but that is purely an American plant ! 
^1 Probably one of the Borraginece, Fee thinks, but beyond that he 
considers it impossible to say. Desfontaines identifies it with the Onosma 
echioides of Linnaeus, the Hairy onosma. 
^2 See B. xiii. c. 23. 
*3 If it is the plant above-mentioned, this is incorrect. 
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