192 THE NEW ZEALAND FAMILY ILERB DOCTOR. 
seeds are black, the roots are fibrous and white; the stalks 
diein winter, but the root is perennial. As we mentioned in our 
‘‘History of Medicine,” Antonius, physician to the Roman 
Emperor Augustus Cesar, wrote a whole book on its virtues, 
some of which he very much exagerated. Later experience 
has justified some of his statements about it. We have found 
it good in headaches of a nervous origin. As a nervine it may 
be taken in infusion of one ounce to the pint, and half a 
teacupful may be taken three or four times a day. 
The green herb cut fine and simmered in lard makes a 
good healing ointment for ulcers, good also for fits and bloody 
urine. The powdered leaves made into conserve with honey, 
and a teaspoonful taken is a reviver for extreme weariness. 
and fainting spells. The steam of the decoction, received by 
a funnel into the ear eases pain and will assist in healing 
running sores. The leaves of the betony, coltsfoot, and 
stramonium make a good smoking mixture for difficulty of 
breathing. 
LACTUCA (Lactuca Etoncata). 
The long-leaved lettuce was commonly grown in gardens. 
as a culinary herb. There are several varieties, some of them 
having no medicinal virtue. The one with the long dark 
leaves is the kind used. When it is broken a milky juice 
exudes, which becomes brown. The expressed juice is 
evaporated at a low temperature, till it is the consistency of 
thick treacle. The dose of this is from one to ten grains.. 
In reading the various writers on medicine it is found that they 
all agree that this extract is a good substitute for opium, 
without its injurious effects. The herb may be infused in 
boiling water and the infusion drunk freely as a mild sedative 
for nervous excitement. The dose of the juice would be a 
tablespoonful for an adult. 
GENSANG ROOT (Payax QuINQUEFOLIUM). 
Gensang has a perennial root which sends up annually a 
smooth, round stem, about a foot high, and divided at the top 
