[ 1 45 j 
and their application of them to the various purpofe.s 
of life. The figures of the plants were taken from 
the life, and are, as far as poffible, reprefented in 
their natural proportion ; but from thefe muft be ex- 
cepted thofe of Gerber, collected near the Don and 
the Wolga, and fome others collected by Dr. Lerche, 
phyfician to the Ruffian embafiy in Perfia, near A f- 
tracan, and even in Perfia; thefe were delineated 
from dried fpecimens : and where-ever the figure does 
not, to our author’s Satisfaction, reprefen t the plant 
intended, by the negleft of the painter or engraver, 
he apprifes you thereof, and endeavours to remedy 
this defedt in his defcriptions. 
The great end of our knowlege in plants fhould be 
the invefiigation of their properties ; and to this we 
are frequently obliged to be led, by the application 
of them among the people, where they are produced. 
In perufing therefore the Florci Stbirtcct^ I have fe- 
ledted a few obfervations of this kind, which I think 
not improper to lay before the Society.. 
The venereal dileafe has made no inconfiderable 
progrefs among barbarous, as well as among the more 
polite and civilized nations ; and our author has gi\ en 
us two methods of treating that diftemper among the 
inhabitants of Sibiria; from which, in fome degiee, 
an idea may be formed of the Rate of medicine in 
thofe parts of the world. One method is, they give 
the patient a decodtion of a fpecies of cirfium.*, 
r which 
* “ Cirfium inerme foliis fcabris, lanceolatis, inferionbus ex 
“ finuato dentatis, fquamis fuperioribus calicum fubrotundis, mem- 
<c branaceis. ,> Flor. Sibir> Tom. W. ‘pag.77.. 
T 
