OBSERVATIONS  ON  ANAGALLIS  ARVENSIS.  301 
members,  a  quantity  of  the  herb  and  seed,  and  says  he  will  give  of  the 
seeds  to  others  who  will  please  to  call  on  him  for  that  purpose. 
They  also  learn  from  the  Reverend  Muhlenberg,  of  Lancaster,  that  it  is 
an  annual  plant,  known  in  Switzerland  and  Germany  by  the  name  of 
Gauchheil,  Huhnerdarm,  Yernumftskraut,  by  the  botanist  (as  he  is  in- 
formed) as  Anagallis  arvensis,  and  that  it  should  be  gathered  when  in  full 
blossom.  In  Germany,  he  understands,  the  usual  dose  was  30  grains  of 
the  powder,  taken  four  times  a  day,  and  continued  one  week  in  smaller 
doses ;  the  wound  washed  with  a  decoction  of  the  herb,  and  some  of  the 
powder  stewed  in  it. 
The  committee  therefore  offered  a  resolution : 
Resolved,  That  the  Speaker  be  requested  to  present  the  thanks  of  the 
Senate  to  Valentine  Kittering  for  his  benevolent  and  valuable  communi- 
cation." 
The  allusion  to  the  "remedy  for  the  bite  of  a  mad  dog,"  has 
brought  out,  since  the  above  communication,  a  copy  of  one  of 
the  original  recipes,  sold  by  Doctor  Stoy,  a  son  of  the  original 
discoverer.  By  request  of  the  party  who  held  the  original  it  was 
published  as  follows : 
"Dr.  Stoy's  infallible  Cure  for  the  bite  of  a  mad  dog. 
"Take  one  ounce  of  Chickweed,  and  put  it  into  a  clean  earthen  pot  and 
pour  on  it  a  quart  of  beer  ;  place  the  pot  over  a  gentle  %oal  fire,  and  boil 
it  until  it  is  reduced  to  half,  strain  it  hot  from  the  pot  through  a  clean 
linen  cloth  into  a  pewter  dish,  and  then,  while  still  hot  in  the  dish,  add 
one  ounce  of  theriac  and  stir  it  well,  until  it  is  thoroughly  mixed.  Give 
a  patient  a  dose,  lukewarm,  in  the  morning,  the  patient  being  duly  sober, 
that  is  to  say,  without  having  taken  anything  in  the  morning ;  after 
this  he  must  fast  at  least  three  hours,  and  during  that  time  drink  no  cold 
water,  and  must  take  great  care  not  to  eat  any  pork  and  everything  which 
has  any  connection  with  pork ;  for  fourteen  days  he  must  not  partake  of 
any  animal  food,  not  even  of  the  fish  kennel.  This  is  the  dose  for  a  grown 
person.  To  children  of  twelve  years  give  the  half,  and  so  in  proportion 
of  age.  To  animals  give  the  double  portion  given  to  a  grown  person,  and 
in  proportion  with  the  water  as  above  mentioned  to  be  observed.  As  an 
application  to  wounds,  the  plant  is  cut  while  in  blossom  and  then  fried 
in  fresh  butter  without  salt,  and  then  put  on  the  wound  three  times  a  day 
by  rubbing  the  scab  off  with  an  oak  chip." 
ANAGALLIS. 
Sexual  System :  Pentandria  Monogynia,  (Linnaeus). 
Natural  Order  ;  Primulaceae,  (Lindley), 
Generic  Character :  Calyx ;  quinquified,  regular  and  perma- 
