MEDICAL BOTANY, 23 
for their nasty medicine. For instance, rhubarb in powder, 
blue pills, black drafts, &. The herbalist, with his big doses 
of decoctions, some of them as bitter as gall, was not much in 
favour either, especially with children ; but now some art has 
been introduced, and medicines formerly considered disgusting 
are now rendered comparatively pleasant, and the big doses 
are concentrated from a wineglassful toa teaspoonful. While 
in most cases this can be done without impairing the efficiency 
of the agent, still there are some that experience proves are 
best taken in large doses and as near their natural condition 
as possible. Infusions or decoctions are the simplest way of 
extracting the virtues of herbs or roots. 
In this division of our work we will describe the principal 
herbs, roots, barks, seeds, &c., used in the Botanic System, and 
such as are alsocommon to the Allopath and Homeeopath. As 
we intend to fill our pages only with useful matter, we will not 
notice the almost innumerable variety that are set forth in 
some botanical books, nor will we give them more credit for 
virtue than we believe they merit; for it has occurred to us, as 
it must have to others, that it was a wonder anybody died 
if the descriptions which some writers gave of the medicinal 
virtues of herbs were true. Some people think that there is a 
kind of mysterious charm in some medicines. For instance, a 
person came to our shop and asked for 6d worth of sarsaparilla, 
to take the pimples and blotches off his face. We told him 
we did not think that such an amount would do him much 
good, but he thought it would be quite enough to cure him. 
This class of people are the extreme of another, who scoff at 
all medicine, and dub it all quackery. We have heard the 
boastings of such while in good health, but have seen them, 
when ill, take the very nastiest drugs. Moderation in all 
things good is the golden mean. 
The order we intend to follow in this division of our book 
is to arrange in groups or classes, according to the virtue 
possessed by each. The vegetable Materia Medica is divided 
thus:—Alteratives, Antacids, Anthelmintics, Antiseptics, Anti- 
spasmodics, Astringents, Carminatives, Cathartics, Demulcents, 
