74 
NAT. ORDER.— ORCHIDE^ 
culiar to itself, among countries in the same parallel of latitude. 
The number of species of this tribe is at present unknown, but 
probably is not less than 1500. 
Medical Properties and Uses. It often happens that those pro- 
ductions of nature which charm the eye with their beauty, and 
delight the senses with their perfume, have the least relation to 
the wants of mankind, while the most powerful virtues, or the 
most deadly poisons are hidden beneath a mean and insignificant 
exterior : thus, Orchidese, beyond their beauty, can scarcely be 
said to be of known utility, with a very few exceptions. The 
nutritive substance called Salep, is prepared from the subterraneous 
succulent roots of Orchis mascula and others ; it consists almost 
entirely of a chemical principle called Bassorin. The root of 
Bletia verecunda is said to be stomachic ; and some of the South 
American species, such as the Catasetums, Cyrtipodiums, &c., con- 
tain a viscid juice, which, being inspissated by boiling, becomes a 
kind of vegetable glue, used for economical purposes in Brazil. 
The aromatic substance called Vanilla, is the succulent fruit of a 
West India plant, of which our drawing is a representation. 
Throughout the whole of Holland, the fruit of this shrub is 
much admired for its astringent qualities. The inhabitants take 
the unripe fruit, or the bark of the roots, which they boil or steep 
until they become perfectly soft, then express and strain into a 
tight vessel, adding sufficient French brandy, and sugar, for safe 
keeping. The dose of this is from half to a wine-glassful two or 
three times a day. This is an excellent remedy for dysentery, 
and all diseases of the bowels. 
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