From the allegorical accounts given by the ancients of their mints, it would seem that they ascribed to* 
them terrible effects, and such powers as are now not known to belong to any of the species ; for the poets 
feign that Mintha, the daughter of Cocytus, was transformed into the plant which stills bears her name : 
our mint and Mentha being words but slightly altered from the Greek. 
Pepper Mint possesses a greater degree of pungency than any of the other kinds. The leaves have a 
considerable degree of aromatic odour and taste ; the flavour becoming pungent, followed by a sensation of 
coolness on the tongue. They afford an essential oil, rich in the aromatic quality and pungency of the 
herb, and holding camphor in solution. 
Pepper Mint is used as a stimulant and carminative, to obviate nausea, or griping, or to relieve the 
symptoms arising from flatulence ; and, very frequently, to cover the taste and odour of other medicines. 
It is used for these purposes under the forms of the watery infusion, the distilled water, the essential oils 
and the lozenge prepared from the oil or the essence, as it is called, formed by dissolving a small quantity 
in alcohol. Mr. Neill says, “ the young leaves and tops of spear-mint are a good deal used in spring salads 
in England ; they also form an ingredient in soups, or are more frequently employed to give flavour, being 
boiled for a time and withdrawn. They are also shredded down, and mixed with sugar and vinegar, as a 
sauce to roasted meat, particularly lamb.” 
Off. Prep. — Aqua Menthae Piperitae. L. E. D. 
Oleum Menthae Piperitae. L. E. _D. 
Spiritus Menthae Piperitae. L. E. 
Infusum Menthae Compositum. D. 
Spear-mint and Penny-royal resemble the Peppermint in their qualities, but are less pungent. 
Spear-mint is used for culinary purposes, and gives out its virtues both to water and alcohol : an essential 
oil is also obtained from it. 
Off. Prep. — Aqua Menthae viridis. L. E. sativae, D. 
Oleum Menthae viridis. L. D. 
Spiritus Menthae viridis. L. 
Infusum Menthae Compositum. D. 
The directions for this infusion are ; “ Take of the leaves of Spear-mint dried, two drachms ; boiling- 
water, as much as is sufficient to afford six ounces of infusion when strained. Digest for half an hour in a 
covered vessel ; strain the liquor when cold, and add to it, of refined sugar two drachms ; oil of Spear-mint, 
three drops, dissolved in half an ounce of compound tincture of cardamoms.” It is a grateful stomachic, 
which may be used to obviate flatulence ; or as a vehicle to cover the taste of unpleasant medicines. The 
infusions of the mints in warm water are more grateful stomachics than the ordinary cold distilled waters. 
Penny-royal yields an essential oil containing a small portion of camphor. It was formerly used as an 
emmenagogue ; and although it possesses no such virtues, the Aqua Pulegii, known by the name of “hysteric 
water,” is still much employed by the vulgar. Like the other mints it is a carminative stimulant, but is 
seldom prescribed by medical practitioners. 
Off Prep. — Aqua Pulegii. L. E. D. 
Oleum Pulegii. L. D. 
Spiritus Pulegii. L. 
*The diseases of plants are often, although injurious to them, beneficial to man, while at other times 
their unhealthy conditions so far deprave and change the quality of their ordinary productions, as to render 
those which are usually wholesome and nutritious, either worthless, baneful, or even poisonous. The pro- 
duction of agallocum and the various kinds of galls and gums, are instances of vegetable disorders being ser- 
viceable to man, while the diseases of corn, such as the smut, canker, rust, &c., and especially the ergot, are 
familiar examples of the fearful havoc they make in our crops, the former rendering a harvest worthless, and 
the other converting our sustaining corn to poison. It must, however, be recollected that the ergot is, when 
properly administered, a most valuable medicine, and also that these apparently grievous evils are such only 
on a partial view ; they are injuries only when particular instances are selected and isolated, for it is on all 
hands confessed that in the general economy of nature they are highly beneficial, as forming a part of the 
system of checks and counterchecks by which the balance is corrected when the strong overpower and would 
exterminate the weak, and preserve that equality which could not be otherwise maintained. To modify 
their influence, and protect ourselves from their injurious prevalence, is the duty of science, and the more 
the study of vegetable pathology is pursued, the greater will be the power we shall obtain of turning even 
these apparently malevolent incidents to our advantage. 
Burnett’s Introductory Lecture, delivered in Chelsea Garden. 
