26 A Treatise on 
There is alfo another Species , which M. Tourne- 
fort fuppofes to be the true black Hellebore of 
Hippocrates and the Ancients; becaufe he met with 
it common, not only in the Hands of Anti cy res 
which lie oppofite to Mount Oeta 9 and feveral other 
Places thereabouts, but likewife in A/ta on the 
Coaft of the Euxine Sea, and at the Foot of the 
Mountain Olympus , &c. This Species he calls Helle- 
borus niger crientalis , ampliffimo folio caule preealto , 
fore purpurafeente , Cor. Inft. R. H. Helleborus 
niger orientalis , Rellon. The Root is like that of 
the former, but thicker, longer, and void of Smell, 
though extremely bitter. 
Some through Miftake, for the Roots of the true 
black Hellebore, fubftitute thofe of the Helleborus 
niger , tenui folio , Buphthalmi fiore> C. B. P. which 
¥ our ne fort ranks under the Gems of Racmciflus or 
Crow-foot , by the Name of Ranunculus fceniculactis 
foliisy Hellebori nigri radice , H. R. Monfpel. Inft. 
R. H. and both he and Dodonceus have obferved, 
that the Roots of this are not purgative. Where- 
fore, inftead of the true black Hellebore, we ought 
rather to fubftitute the Helleborus niger horten/is> 
flore viridi, C> B. P. or the Helleborus niger fee tidus^ 
C. B. P. which are the Sorts that are ufually brought 
to Paris from the Mountains of Auvergne. 
But in order todifeover whether the Roots, which 
are fold for black Hellebore, have their proper 
medicinal Virtues, M. lournefort propofes to in- 
fufe them in a fufficient Quanity of Spring Wa- 
ter, and afterwards to diftil them in an Alembick ; 
for if the Water coming over be inlipid, thofe Roots 
are to be rejedted, as void of Efficacy ; but if 
the Water have a confiderable Acrimony, they 
are fit for Ufe. 
; From the Roots of white Hellebore, in a chymi- 
cal Treatment, is obtained, firft a Spirit of a very 
acrid 
