TETRADYNAMIA. SILIQU08A. Cardamine. 769 
Ger. Em. 259. 1— Ger. 201. 1— Clus. ii. 128. 2— Dod. 592. 2 — Lob. Obs. 
106. 3, and Ic. i. 210. 2— Ger. Em. 259. 2 — Ger. 201. 2— Park. 826. 2, 
and 1239./. 4— H. Ox. iii. 4. 7— Pet. 47. 5—Lonic. i. 159. 5—Fuchs. 325 
~—J. B. ii'. 889. 1—Trag. 83. 1. 
Leafits of the lower stem-leaves egg-shaped, higher up spear-shaped, those 
of the upper strap-shaped. Woodw. Flowers large, paler or deeper 
purplish red. ( Stem upright, stiff, about a foot high, bearing a hand¬ 
some terminal corymb. Anthers yellow. E.) 
(In shady situations the root-leaves occasionally put forth buds or bulbs, the 
embryos of new plants; hence, and from the root being somewhat 
toothed and tuberous, Mr. Brown avails himself of a supposed affinity 
between this plant and Dentaria bulbifera , which he includes in the 
present genus. E.) 
Meadow Ladies’-smock. Cuckoo Flower. (Irish: Pillar Grogan . 
Welsh: Hydyf y waun; Blodeuyn y gog. E.) Meadows and moist 
pastures. P. April—May.* 
* The virtue of the flowers in hysteric and epileptic cases was first mentioned by Ray, 
in his letters, published by himself; and since then, by Sir W. Baker in Med. Tr. i. 442. 
Tiie dose is from 20 to 90 grains twice a day. Do they not act like Erysimum 
Cheiranthoides in the epilepsies of children, and cure the disease by destroying the worms 
in the stomach and intestines, which were the cause of the fits? I have accounts of their 
success in young epileptics, from good authority ; but have never been fortunate enough to 
see them of much use in hysterical cases. Whilst in Cornwall in the year 1793, I had the 
pleasure of meeting with the Rev. Mr. Gregor, who told me that the flowering tops of the 
Ladies’-smock had been successfully used by his family for some generations in the cure of 
epilepsies, and some cases he mentioned to me were not likely to have been owing to 
worms. Our medical practitioners have only used the flowers, but Mr. Gregor’s family 
use the flowering tops. Can this account for the different success ? (The evidence of Mr. 
Gregor has been fully confirmed by the testimony of others entirely unconnected with his 
family, and resident in a different part of England. Lady Holt, late of Aston Hall, 
Warwickshire, and her sister, Mrs. Bracebridge, were long celebrated for curing many 
inveterate cases of epilepsy by the use of Ladies’-smock. They were accustomed to give 
three doses a day, twelve grains each, of the powder carefully prepared from the dried 
heads of the plant, and to continue its use many weeks. The failure of this remedy may 
often be attributable to improper management in the preparation ; and the virtue may 
easily be dissipated by too much heat. The whole flowering head should be pinched off 
the stalk together, when in full bloom and before the seeds are formed, and when free from 
either dew or rain. Spread the heads upon pewter dishes before a brisk fire, stirring and 
moving them. Rub them to a powder when sufficiently dry; pass it through a sieve; 
and put it into clean dry bottles. Cover the bottles with leather, (no cork), having 
holes pricked through it. Two bushels of flowering heads will yield about eight quarts of 
this fine powder. Thus preserved it will keep to a second year.—The leaves may be eaten as 
other cress. The juice expressed from the whole plant is considered an excellent antiscor¬ 
butic in northern countries, where salt meat is much used. The double blossomed var. is an 
elegant ornament to the flower garden.—The popular appellation of this plant, Our 
Lady's Chemise , (vulgb Smock), probably originated in the devout reveries of monkery, 
which, as in divers analogous instances, appear to have emulated the more ancient heathen 
custom of thus commemorating the higher powers. But while yet emancipated from the 
thraldom of superstition, those who are inclined to discard such puerilities, may find a more 
rational interpretation of the vernacular cognomen, and one at least as consistent with the 
appearance of nature, 
“When Ladies'-smocks of silver white, 
Do paint the meadows with delight; ” 
Thus resembling linen exposed to whiten on the grass, 
“ When maidens bleach their summer smocks •” 
N 2 
