INTRODUCTION. 
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and interesting study exercising the mind without fatiguing it, and stimulat- 
ing the imagination without leading it astray, but also, because I cannot 
help wishing, although I know it is too much to expect of our actual medical 
men, that they should be careful observers of nature, yet in their younger 
years, before they have entered on their great career, I cannot help wishing 
that they had the habit of noticing all the qualities of plants which are so re- 
markable and powerful in their healing capacities." Then Mr. Gladstone 
narrated an anecdote, how the leaves of a plant healed the cut on his finger 
caused by an axe in wood-cutting. 
“ You will think it ludicrous, if I were to tell you a little anecdote of my 
own, which is of the very simplest character, and it is so small and so slight 
as almost to be contemptible, but still it illustrates what I mean. I have 
been given, as is pretty well-known, or at least, I have been given to the 
pursuit of wood-cutting. From a pure accident, I drew my fingers the other 
day along the edge of the axe which was lying close by, and which was 
tolerably sharp, and cut my finger. Upon searching about me I found I had 
no handkerchief available. I wanted to staunch my little wound. Not 
having a handkerchief, I got a leaf and put it on the wound. I am bound to 
say that this was not the result of botanical knowledge, but it was a purely 
empirical proceeding on the chance of the quality of the leaf. But there 
was a curious result. I knew the time nature occupied in healing a little 
breach of continuity, and when I put on the leaf, I assure you it is the fact, 
that it healed in exactly half the time. It is hardly worth mentioning such 
a thing as I say but I cannot help having the belief that there are good 
treasures in nature more than have heretofore been explored in every 
branch. To make medical students, before they have come to their great 
responsibilities, observers of the great qualities and capabilities of plants, 
I cannot help thinking that some good will be done.”* 
The importance of studying the subject of Indian medicinal 
plants has been again and again insisted on by several writers. 
It is too late in the day to discuss the necessity of such a study. 
The ease and cheapness with which these are procurable, the 
marvellous powers that are attributed to them in the cure of 
different maladies by natives of India, should induce us to 
investigate their properties and settle once for all their claims 
on our attention. 
Dr. John Lindley was a renowned botanist. His views on 
the subject of vegetable drugs deserve careful consideration. 
In the preface to his work on Flora Medica, he wrote : — 
“ No one will be bold enough to assert that the physicians already possess 
the most powerful agents produced by the vegetable kingdom ;Tor every year 
is bringing some new plants into notice for its energy, while others are 
* Guy's Hospital Gazette for 29th March 1890, p. 72. 
